
Class 33V 2. 5 5. 
Book * 5 4r 



PRATERS 

ASH 

OFFICES OF DEYOTION, 

FOR 

FAMILIES, 

AND FOB. 

PARTICULAR PERSONS, 

UPON MOST OCCASIONS. 



BY BENJAMIN JENKS, 

M 

LATE RECTOR OF HARLET, I5T SHROPSHIRE, ENSLASD. 



Men ought always to pray and not to faint.... Luke viii. i . 

Continue in prayer, and watch in the same with thanksgiving.,. Col. iv. 2. 



THE FIFTH ALBANY, FROM THE TWENTY-FIFTH 
ENGLISH EDITION. 



»«-#-*<j§g^G^M§>«x^»<s 



ALBANY : 
PRINTED BY WEBSTERS AND SKINNERS, 

At their Bookstore, corner of State and Pearl-Streets. 

1817. 



Go 
do 



TO THE 

RIGHT REV? FATHER IN GOD, 

J EN, 

LORD BISHOP OF CHICHESTER. 



My Lord, 

I waited with some impatience to see that de- 
sign accomplished by your accurate pen, which 
is here attempted now by my weak hand. Ever 
since you were pleased to acquaint me with your 
intention to publish something of this nature, it 
raised my expectation of your obliging the world 
with your printed Prayers, as you have done with 
many of your learned and seasonable Sermons ; 
but after you had let me know the reason of hold- 
ing your hand, the same might have stopt mine 
too ; and I should have desisted, had the good 
Doctor who prevented you, or any of those wor- 
thy Authors, that thus bestowed their pains, des- 
cended to such particulars, as I thought fit for the 
use of those whom I desire to serve. 

But now that I am engaged, my Lord, your 
favor shewed to the well-meant performance 
here, has given me the boldness of this Dedica- 
tion. And the advancement of such persons to 
high dignity in our church, as are so well known 
to deserve it, encourages me also to hope, that a 



DEDICATION. 

gracious God hath yet a greater blessing for us 
than our own demerits give us reason to expect. 

I beg your fatherly benediction upon me, and 
my poor endeavors, who am, 
My Lord, 
Your obliged Kinsman, 

In all humble observance, 

BEN. JENKS. 



PREFACE. 

To my Neighbors and Acquaintance, particularly 
those in the Parishes committed to my Care. 

My dear Friends, 

IT is especially for your sakes, arid primarily for 
your service, that I publish this Manual of 
Prayers, fitted to the capacities of your minds, to 
the necessities of your souls, and to the several con- 
ations and occasions of your lives. Notwithstand- 
ing all the books of devotion already extant, many 
of which are very useful and excellent in their kinds, 
and such as I should recommend to you, without 
offering any other, did those with which I am best 
satisfied reach as far as I have designed here to go, 
and did not I think the strain of some too high for 
many of you, and the words and expressions of 
others that I have seen in your hands, too low and 
flat, or too obsolete and improper, and which will 
rather offend than edify such as have their senses 
better exercised in these matters : I have come to 
the resolution of adding my contribution to the 
common stock : yet, not taking upon me so to cor- 
rect or censure them that have gone before me, as 
to discourage any from making use of those helps 
which they find agreeable to their case, and effica- 
cious to quicken their devotion : But leaving every 
one to consult their own sense, and profit and com- 
fort in choosing and taking what best likes their 
particular gust, and what most furthers their pious 
A 2 



VI 



PREFACE. 



designs; and to make what alterations also they 
please, even in the ensuing offices, for their own ser- 
vice, if they shall think fit to use them at all. 

Nor have I such a conceit of any thing that is 
my own, as to suppose it free from the weakness 
and defects which I can espy elsewhere ; I doubt 
not but others may find as many faults here : Nay, 
I cannot think any thing of this nature to be so com- 
plete, but that the author himself, in tract of time, 
may see reason to add or subtract, to alter or amend 
many particulars : Indeed, I shall as soon expect to 
see a shoe made to fit every foot, as a particular 
Form of Prayer exactly to suit all the circumstances 
of every soul. 

I cannot undertake that the following Prayers 
should answer all the occasions which any one may 
ever find for prayer : But they that have the spirit 
of supplication, can tell how to fill up what is want- 
ing : And such as I help in most cases, may help 
themselves in the rest. I am rather apt to think, 
that so many as are here set down, will be censured 
for more than needful ; but, it being easy to pare off, 
the censors may let alone what they count superflu- 
ous ; leaving it to those that will not disdain its as- 
sistance ; and I had rather be uader an imputation 
from some of my neighbors, for busying myself 
more than I have need, in a work that might have 
been spared, than bear the recoilings of my own 
mind for neglecting to impart any thing that I 
thought might be of use and service to the rest. 

If any judge that I might better have left this be- 
hind me, not to be seen till I should myself have 
been no more seen : I was once of the same mind, 
and had so continued ; but that I could not be sure, 
that many for whom I designed it, might not be 
taken off before me ; whereby this piece of friend- 



PREFACE. vii 

ship which I had for them would have been lost to 
them : And now that I do undertake the thing 
which is liable to many reflections (whoever be the 
manager) every one thinking he has a title to judge 
of that wherein every one is equally concerned ; and 
that judgment passing according to the different 
principles and sentiments, and the particular genius 
and humor of each, 'tis not possible here to please 
every one : But however I shall not fail of my de- 
sign, if I can be so happy as to profit some. And 
if so be I take any way peculiar to myself, I shall 
only alledge, that it is but the same liberty as most 
writers on this subject have taken. Though I pre- 
tend not to set myself on a level with the noted 
guides of others' devotion, that with good success, 
and general approbation, have labored herein, yet 
when our Lord has only enjoined the thing to be 
done, without settling the manner of performance ; 
even an ordinary man, that is but conversant in 
these matters, has room humbly to propose his own 
experience, as long as he assumes not magisterially 
to impose it upon his readers ; which in this present 
undertaking, the Judge of all thoughts knows to be 
far from mine. 

I name no morning and evening prayers for par- 
ticular persons, because here are so many occasion- 
al prayers, whereof every one may take their choice 
from time to time, for ^private use, according to par- 
ticular exigencies ; and besides those for families 
may as fitly serve for the closet, changing but the 
plural number into the singular. I have not direct- 
ed to conclude the evening devotions with the 
Lord's Prayer ; not because I count it improper at 
that time to be used, but because I think we have 
still a liberty of adding or omitting it ; and there- 
fore I have pointed to it for one part of the day, and 



viii PREFACE. 

left it out in the other ; but they that are for it, as an 
appendage to all the prayers used in their houses, 
may make it so if they please, notwithstanding that 
I shut up some of the family prayers without it. 
I make no distinction neither of ordinary days ; for 
I understand not why the prayer that serves for 
Monday or Tuesday, should not be as good and 
proper for any other day of the week ; yet I have 
offered some variety, that you may take sometimes 
one form, and sometimes another ; or some part of 
this form and some of that, as you see occasion and 
shall judge most pertinent. 

But I make a great difference of the qualities of 
persons, and states of the soul, and scenes of the life ; 
according to which I have distributed and suited 
the offices here proposed. And though it be not 
needful to adapt a prayer to every man's particular 
employment in the world ; yet no man, whatever 
be his place and calling, but may find many prayers 
here fitted to the condition of his soul, and to the 
great emergencies of his life. Only I would cau- 
tion any who may need to be so advertised, that I 
do not intend the particular prayers entitled for such 
and such persons, of particular ranks and stations, 
as their excuse to supersede all praying else, as if 
such persons needed to use no other prayers ; but 
those, over and above, they may sometimes add to 
the rest : And so prudently choosing agreeable offi- 
ces, and so taking this my whole performance, with 
a little of Christian candor, and the allowance for 
common weakness, I am willing to hope it may not 
be unacceptable to those in my neighborhood (for 
whom I am chiefly concerned) as coming from one 
of your acquaintance, my brethren, and one not so 
utterly unacquainted with the practice and the bene- 
fit of such exercises of devotion : but that I am 



PREFACE. ix 

able to say somewhat from my own experience, and 
that of many years, in this way. However small* I 
must confess, is my proficiency, to what it might 
have been ; yet the several stages that my soul has 
gone through ; the trials and temptations that I have 
had ; and terrors and perplexities wherewith I have 
grappled ; the conflicts and troubles of mind that I 
have lain under, the many sins that I have fallen in- 
to, (grievous to myself, and heinous in the sight of 
God, though not so scandalous as some others, to 
the view of the world ;) and the escapes that I have 
made, the preservations and deliverances, the mer- 
cies and blessings, the revivings and comforts that 
I have found ; are so many enticements to me, and 
so many engagements upon me, to do somewhat 
according to the ability which God hath given me, 
for the direction, the support, and help of others, 
that may be in the like condition. And may the 
thing here done be but well taken by any that fear 
God, the generation of them that seek his face, and 
are in love with prayer ! I shall then little concern 
my self what's the resentment or censure of any one 
else ; whether it be the worldly drudge, the sordid 
earth-worm, that throws prayers out of doors, as his 
interruption and hindrance ; or the dissolute epi- 
cure, that takes pleasure in nothing but his mire, 
and shrinks from drawing nigh to the Holy God, as 
his hated task and torment ; or the profane droll, 
that even laughs his Judge Eternal in the face, and 
mightily applauds himself, for daring to make a 
scorn of all that is serious and sacred ; or the trifling 
impertinent, that is for all manner of exercises, but 
only those of religion ; or lastly, the formal hypo- 
crite, that only now and then passes a slight com- 
pliment on the Majesty of Heaven, but still mortally 
hates the life and power of godliness. The sense 



x PREFACE. 

and the satisfaction of one pious experienced Christ- 
ian, that has known the grace of God in truth, is 
more to me than the exceptions and the clamors of 
a thousand such as these. 

If this piece fly further abroad than my first inten- 
tion ; and if others, that know nothing of what con- 
cerns me, may pick out any thing here to further 
them in the way heaven- ward, I shall have the more 
cause then to bless God, for making me such an 
instrument of his grace. Yea, where I can but do 
the least good to any poor soul, I shall not think my 
labor in vain in the Lord. But my great care is for 
the souls of whom I have the charge ; and for the 
rest of my friends and neighbors within my reach, 
whom I have, you know, so much and often impor- 
tuned and called upon to give themselves to prayer, 
both in your families, and in your retirements every 
day. Not barely to read or say over so many words 
of prayer (as if it would presently make all whole 
and well, only to use such or such a form, that you 
think pertinent to your case, as a plaister fit for the 
sore) but to do it with a praying heart, with a mind 
intent upon the work, and your spirits engaged in 
his service. The reasons for which, and the neces- 
sity of it, with the lawfulness and ex- 
Liberty of pediency of using forms (especially 
ed, ay &c. dS ° er " where other abilities are wanting) I 
shall not insist upon here ; because I 
have done it already elsewhere. 

Indeed, what some talk so much against all 
Forms of Prayer, I think, is as little to be regarded 
as what others do so bitterly inveigh against all 
prayer that is out of form ; but in this matter I can- 
Bishop wit- not Dut much approve the temper of an 
tenhaii [Enter eminent churchman, (afterwards made 

set] 3d y ed?t!°" one of our Ri § ht Rev ' Bisho P s ) who in 



PREFACE. xi 

his method and order for private devotion, thus free- 
ly and moderately gives his sense : 

P. 62. < Whether every particular expression, 
or the just words before-thought, it happily mat- 
ters not very much ; but that some fit, significant 
proper, and quickening expressions for the several 

< parts and substantiate of my prayer be prepared 

* it is expedient.'— P. 81. < I profess myself no 
« whit guilty of undervaluing the free effusions of 
« the soul before God, in private especially, in such 
1 expressions as the affected moved mind suggests ; 
' or as the spirit gives utterance.' — P. 284. < If I 

< am able to pray otherwise, I shall not haply always 
see it fit, or convenient, to use set or composed 

< forms ; for that there may be many particular af- 

* tectmg circumstances in my sins, which no form 

* will express so plainly as I have need to express 

' them for the moving of my sorrow.'- P. 285. c If 

6 I find my heart ready, and so composed, that I dare 
' venture upon what we call a convinced prayer it 
' being of my own invention, by the assistance of the 

bpint, may more perfectly suit my condition in all 
than one framed by another to my hand.' P 81 82 

< Though constantly to use that way, may make 
our devotion more slight and disorderly, through 
the coldness, dulness, or heedlessness of our heart 

1 or through distractions, incumbrances, or like 

. mischiefs : and it may often occasion the omission 

ot many necessary things, through inco^nitancv 

^ and unavoidable forgetfulness.'*— P. 8/ ' But 

' whether the words in which we utter ourselves be 

forethought or sudden, provided they fitly and rev- 

erently express the inward sense of our hearts it 

< ™ tte f_ not > nor is it at all essential to prayer. '-lp. 
81. Be the words whose x they will, my prayino- 

! them, i. e, offering them up to God, with a heart 



xii PREFACE. 

' suitable to them, hath made them as much mine, 

* as if I had invented, contrived, dictated, or penned 

* them at first.' 

The manner then of expressing yourselves in 
my words, or in your own, or others, I leave, as 
here this author does, at liberty : and any helps that 
I have offered, in the following specimens, you may 
take or refuse, as you see good : only I must with 
all earnestness beseech you to take care, and to make 
conscience that the thing be daily done, and that 
heartily, as to the Lord : as ever you hope to reap 
any real good from the labors of your ministers, or 
ever to see their faces, or the face of God with 
comfort in that great day, when we must all give 
up our last accounts, and be finally determined for 
our everlasting state. When such as could not be 
prevailed with to give themselves to prayer, and to 
call upon the name of God, now in the day of grace, 
this time of mercy, shall with fruitless desires, wish 
themselves out of being ; and no less vainly, than 
desperately, call upon rocks and mountains to fall 
upon them, and to hide them from his face, and to 
save them from his wrath in the day of judgment, 
that time of recompense and fury. And, therefore, 
according to that most cogent admonition of the au- 
thor of the Whole Duty of Man, part 5, sect. 12. 

* Let no man that professes himself a Christian, keep 
1 so heathenish a family, as not to see that God be 
' daily worshipped in it.' To which let that be added 
of the other author afore quoted, P. 15. ' Prayer 

* with the family, no one who would have God to 

* bless his family can think that he may neglect.' 
And I shall give no further exhortation here to fami- 
ly prayer ;* because I have done so much to that 
purpose since the first edition hereof, in another 
book written upon that particular argument. 

* The bell rung to prayers, 



PREFACE. xiii 

Beloved, I am more sensible of my own frailty, than 
to reckon upon a much longer continuance in the 
world, which we all shall find to be so short a thorough- 
fare to the place of our eternal abode : and while I 
live, I desire nothing more from you, than the con- 
solation of observing your devotion, and striving to- 
gether with me in your prayers for your own salva- 
tion. And when I am dead and gone, I would leave 
behind me, not only some token of my love to you ; 
but also some assistance in that way of your duty, 
wherein you are to follow those who are already en- 
tered into the heavenly glory. 

I am apt to think, that some who are convinced 
of this duty, to use daily prayers, and who also feel 
an inclination to it, and some disposedness for it in 
their hearts, may yet be under a discouragement for 
wan$ of suitable helps in a readiness to discharge 
the work. — For such, alas ! is the dulness and in- 
differency of sinful men to- that which is best for 
them, and which most highly concerns them, that 
they are not apt to be solicitous, so as they used to 
shew themselves in their wordly concerns, to seek 
out after the provisions and conveniences for the 
spiritual life, unless these fall directly in their way, 
and are set just before them. And, therefore, this 
prayer-book I have had in my thoughts to provide, 
and put into the hands of some of the poorer sort ; 
and, without imposing upon any, I would also move 
such able friends as may favor the design, to lend 
a charitable hand in assisting to furnish more of 
these poor creatures, who, by the help of such a 
gift, might be put in a way to get the best and 
greatest riches ; but I shall not offer to disturb any 
that are in the possession of better means already ; 
no, let them go on with the use of them, and God's 
blessing be upon them : arid if but any thingiiere 
B 



xiv PREFACE. 

should be found agreeable and useful to others, they 
are at liberty to collect and take what they will, and 
pass over the rest. For, as the celebrated Dr. Ham- 
mond tells us, Prat. Cat. Lib. 3. Sect. 2. Ans. 5. 
c The church being obeyed in the observation of 
1 the prescribed liturgy in public, it is not suppos- 
i ed by our church, but that every one in private 
6 may ask his own wants in what form of words he 
6 shall think fit : yet, that he may do it fitly and rev- 

* erently, it will not be amiss for him to acquaint 
' himself with the several addresses to God which 
4 the Book of Psalms, and other parts of Holy 
' Writ, and other helps of devotion, will afford him, 
€ either to use, as he finds them fit for the present 

* purpose, or by those patterns to direct and prepare 
e himself to do the like.' 

Now, may this poor attempt of mine be an invi- 
tation to some of my pious and learned brethren in the 
ministry, to set out some better entertainment for 
their people ; and I shall be abundantly satisfied and 
pleased to see the thing promoted, and still further 
improved ; though my whole performance should 
be vacated and excluded, to make room for others 
deserving the precedence. In the mean time, may 
a blessing from above follow these small endeavors 
of mine, and make them prosperous, in any measure, 
to help your devotion : and that you may in the use 
of any prayers here set before you, find some ad- 
vantage to your souls, and the daily promotion of 
your sanctification, peace and salvation, is the earn- 
est desire and prayer of 

Your devoted Servant, 

In the work of our Lord, 



&•* 



[ xv } 



Postscript to the Readers. 



B, 



BESIDES the addition of some prayers here, 
more than were in the first impression, which you 
will find marked with an asterisk in the contents ; 
these latter editions do give me the opportunity of 
making some corrections to my own, and I hope al- 
so to others' better satisfaction ; yet have I held my 
hand from altering much, lest the book should now 
appear another thing than before, to the offence of 
any that have been purchasers of the other ; but the 
perusers who are observant, may perceive here so 
many corrections and amendments, as will give some 
advantage to such as shall think fit to make them- 
selves owners of this* 

I should have enlarged the forms for families in 
several parts, especially in those pertaining to the 
confessions of sin ; which (as an excellent bishop of 
this church, upon the survey of this book, accord- 
ing to his wise and humble piety r was pleased to give 
me his sense) need more to be insisted upon than com- 
monly we find , but that I feared such enlargements 
of the prayers, might hinder many families from 
using them at all i. and though now I was solicited 
again, to hasten another review, in order to the 
impression, more additions you might have seen 
throughout the book, but that I should thus have 
made it too chargeable for some pockets, and too 
bulky for any. 

The many emendations, therefore, which intelli- 
gent perusers may observe in this new edition will not 
acid either to the size or price ; but only make some 



xvi POSTSCRIPT. 

things more smooth and easy to those of inferior ca- 
pacity ; and the intermixture of many more words 
here than formerly, may better engage the attention, 
and quicken the sense of common readers. 

May it please God to give the perusers of these 
helps serious minds and praying hearts, the good in- 
tention, and fervent devotion, to make the fuel here 
prepared flame on the altar ; and when thy soul, 
reader, is so raised heavenward, send up one kind 
petition for his saving mercy on the poor unworthy 
Author. 



- ww w* vwwv wvwvwvvw *v\ w» vwwv vwvw vv\ w*. vwvv* vvx. vw vw' 



PRATERS 



OFFICES OF DEVOTION, 



A Prayer for Devotion, and a Right Frame of 
Spirit in the Worship of God. 



o 



MOST High and Holy, Blessed and Glori- 
ous Lord my God ! Thou wilt be sanctified in them 
that come nigh thee ; and thou art greatly to be 
feared, and to be had in continual reverence of all 
that are about thee. Be pleased to sanctify my 
heart with thy grace, that I may sanctify the Lord 
God in my heart ; and so draw nigh unto thee, that 
thou.mayest draw nigh unto me : and in such man- 
ner pour out my heart before thee, that thou may- 
est pour down thy heavenly blessings and favors 
upon me. 

I desire, O my God, to meet thee in thy ways ; 
and in compliance with thy gracious appointment,. I 
B 2 



18 A Prayer for Devotion. 

fall down and worship here at thy footstool, in the 
name and mediation of thy dear Son. For O how 
unworthy am I to come into thy holy presence ! And 
how Unable of myself to perform any duties of ser- 
vice meet to be rendered unto the heavenly Majesty ! 

let thy great mercy overlook my un worthiness ; 
and, by thy powerful grace, keep me from every of- 
fensive thing that would make my prayers sin and . 
abomination to the Lord. And as thou hast made 
me sensible of my duty, and of my own insufficien- 
cy to discharge it as I ought, so may thy good Spi- 
rit help my infirmities, and increase my abilities for 
thy service ; that without sinful dulness or distrac- 
tions, I may worship thee in spirit and in truth ; and 
serve thee with reverence and godly fear : yea, with 
all readiness and love, and delight in approaching 
unto God. 

Instruct me, gracious Lord, in the knowledge of 
thy will ; and assist me in the way of my duty : that 

1 may both understand what is thy pleasure con- 
cerning me ; and also may find grace sufficient to 
perform it. O make me such a spiritual worshipper 
as thou dost seek ; and my service such a spiritual 
sacrifice as thou wilt accept. 

Help me, my strength and my Redeemer, to of- 
fer up my heart and myself, together with my pray- 
ers and addresses, unto thee : that I may not be rash 
with my mouth, nor hasty in my heart, to utter any 
thing rudely before thee ; nor draw nigh to thee, with 
my lips and body, when my heart is far from thee : 
but that heart and soul, and all that is within 
me, may be taken up in a devout, and faithful, and 
affectionate attendance upon thee. 

And thou that nearest prayers, O quicken me, 
that I may call upon thy name. And let me re- 
ceive such grace from thee, as may enable me to 



The Lord?& Prayer in Paraphrase. W : 

perform acceptable service unto thee ; through the 
beloved of my soul, my only Saviour and prevailing 
Advocate, Jesus Christ.. Amen. 

A Family Prayer^ in the Order of our Lord's 
Prayer.. 

OGOD, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, 
by eternal generation : the Father of all things, 
by temporal creation : and the Father of thy people, 
by adoption and spiritual regeneration !': what man- 
ner of love is this, that we, rebels against heaven, 
slaves of satan, and children of wrath, shall be made 
the children of the Most High, and heirs of ever- 
lasting glory !.' We are thine, O Lord, for thou hast 
made us out of nothing, and looked upon us in our 
blood, to set us up again, after we had destroyed 
ourselves. Thou art in heaven, Q that we may in 
heart and mind, thither ascend ; and with all lowli- 
ness worship at the footstool of thy glorious Majes- 
ty. Thou art our Father : O that we may with trust 
and delight, as children, draw nigh unto thee : who 
hast all fulness both of power and mercy, to do for 
us. And may we also love as brethren, and still 
hold together as dear children of the same heavenly 
Father^ 

And O that all the world may give thee, our God, 
the glory due to thy great name ! that thou mayest 
be more known, and feared, and loved, and honor- 
ed, by us, and by all men, as our supreme Lord, 
and as our chiefest good : that we may glorify thee 
as we ought, in our thoughts and desires, and in our 
words and ways !: 

O that the kingdom of sin and satan may be still 
more and more weakened, till they be utterly des- 
troyed ! That all the powers on earth may use for 



20 The Lord's Prayer in Paraphrase. 

thee the authority which they have received from 
thee ! That all the kingdoms of the world may be- 
come the kingdoms of our Lord, and of his Christ ; 
and Jerusalem be made the joy and praise of the 
whole earth! O that Christ may dwell and rule in 
our hearts by his spirit and grace ; and make us a 
willing people, the faithful subjects of his holy king- 
dom ; and still reign over us here, till we are made 
fit to live and reign with him and all his redeemed, 
in the heavenly glory for ever. O thou blessed and 
only Potentate ! let thy kingdom come, so power- 
fully into us, that thy will may be done stilt faith- 
fully and cheerfully by us. 

And may thy will and word, O Lord, and the 
way of thy salvation, be every where known upon 
earth. Let the light of thy gospel shine and pre- 
vail, and win more proselites daily throughout the 
world. O send the means of grace, where they are 
not : and make them prosperous and successful 
where they are. Let the will of thy word and will 
of our God, be the rule of our lives, to guide and 
sway us in all our ways.. Make us more conform- 
able to thy wilt in. all that thou requirest of us ; and 
more submissive to thy will in all that thou layest 
upon us. Yeaj make us pleased with whatever is 
thy pleasure ; and greatly to love thy word, and de- 
light to do thy will, and joyfully and cheerfully to 
serve thee : as thy glorious angels and saints above, 
whose heaven it is to please and enjoy the Lord. 

And, till we are fitted for the better glorious life 
to come, give us, O Father, of thy gracious boun- 
ty, ail things needful and convenient for our present 
being here. Preserve us from all the snares and dan* 
gers that attend both the prosperous and the afflicted 
state. When we have this world's good, O that 
we may use it wisely and piously, to thy glory : and 



The Lord's Prayer in Paraphrase. 21 

whenever thou takest it from us, make us content- 
ed, and patient, and thankful ; and the more intent 
upon that good which shall never be taken away- 
O good God . r we beg, that still we may be in that 
state of body which thou knowest to be best for our 
souls ; and that all which we have in this life, may tend 
and help to speed us to the blessed life immortal. 

We are ashamed and sorry that we have so much 
and so long dishonored thy blessed name ; disobey- 
ed thy holy word, and abused thy rich mercy. We 
desire to return and to be reconciled to our God ; to 
be humble and penitent for our sins, and to entreat 
thy gracious favor in Jesus Christ, for the pardon of 
them. Forgive us, we beseech thee, O Father of 
mercies, for his sake, all the sins that ever we have 
committed against thee -> especially, we beg to be 
discharged from those wasting and presumptuous 
sins, committed against the strivings of thy Spirit, 
and the checks of our own enlightened minds, that 
have made the saddest breaches upon our peace, and 
filled our souls with the dread of thy wrath. O give 
us tokens for good, to persuade and assure our 
hearts that thou hast such mercy in store for us. 
And incline our hearts, Q Lord, to forgive, and to 
be merciful, as we need to be forgiven, and as we 
desire to obtain mercy. 

And, that iniquities may not prevail against us, 
to spoil us for the future, subdue them, O God of 
all grace, by the power of thy Holy Spirit ; and never 
suffer us to be tempted above the strength where- 
with thy grace shall supply us. Make us wary to 
avoid all the temptations we can, and strong in the 
Lord to overcome what we must encounter. We are 
poor, frail creatures : but thou, OLord Almighty, art 
stronger than the strong one : O do thou protect us, 
we beseech thee, by thy powerful aids : and so keep 



22 The Lord's Prayer in Paraphrase. 

us from falling, that we may never be made a prey 
to the cruel murderer of souls ; nor be delivered in- 
to those bitter pains of eternal death, which are the 
sad wages of our sins ; but may find a way to es- 
cape every snare, and be preserved safe to thy hea- 
venly kingdom. 

For thine is the kingdom : O Lord most high I 
thou art the King of all the world ; and happy are 
they who are under the conduct of thy good Spirit, 
as the willing subjects of thy spiritual kingdom, 
We desire and beg that we may all be found of that 
happy number. Save Lord, and let the King of 
heaven hear us when we call. 

We ask great things at thy hands, but not too 
great for the Almighty God to grant : for thine is 
the power : and thou art able to do for us exceed- 
ingly abundantly, even above all that we ask or 
think : O reveal thy glorious arm, to do the things 
worthy of God, which none but thy blessed Self 
can do ; in forgiving, and healing, and helping us, 
who have undone ourselves, and are hopeless and 
helpless in ourselves. 

Thine is the glory : O God ; and such are the 
wonders of thy grace, to get thee glory in the salva- 
tion of those that were lost. 

Therefore, though we are exceedingly guilty and 
utterly unworthy : yet we do pray and hope, that 
thou wilt glorify thy mercy, to remember us in our 
low estate : and to relieve us in all our wants and 
straits, who forsake every refuge else to come to 
thee, O blessed God, alone ; and have all our ex- 
pectation from thee ; and have all our dependence 
upon thee ; trusting only in thy gracious goodness, 
through the all-sufficient merits and mediation of 
our blessed Redeemer : and looking for the mercy 
of our Lord Jesus Christ to eternal life* 



Morniizg Prayer for a Family. 23 

And to thee, O great and glorious Lord our God, 
whose kingdom ruleth over ail ; to thee who dost 
whatever thou pleasest in heaven and in earth: to 
thee who sheweth forth all thy glory to the blessed 
that are in thy presence, be glory in the highest, and 
all thanks and praise ascribed of us, and of all the 
world, for ever and ever. Amen. 

Morning Prayer for. a Family. 

OLORD, the blessed God of our salvation ! 
thou art the hope of all the ends of the earth, 
upon whom the eyes of all do wait : for thou givest 
unto all life, and breath, and all things. In thee we 
ever live, and move and are ; and upon thee we con- 
tinually do depend for all the good that ever we 
have, or hope for. Still thou takest care of us, and 
watchest for good over us ; even in our rest and 
sleep, when we have not so much as any thoughts 
of caring for ourselves : and daily thou renewest to 
us our lives, and thy mercies : every morning giving 
us new occasions still for thy praise, and our thank- 
fulness. And thou hast given us the assurance of 
thy word, that if we commit our affairs to thee, and 
acknowledge thee in all our ways, thou wilt establish 
our thoughts, and direct our path. And therefore 
we desire, O Lord, still to put ourselves under thy 
gracious conduct, and thy fatherly protection ; and 
to beg the heavenly guidance and blessing, and as- 
sistance of thy good Spirit, to choose our inherit- 
ance for us ; and to dispose of us, and of all that 
concern us, to the glory of thy name. 

O Lord, withdraw not thy tender mercies from 
us, nor the comforts of thy presence, nor the assist- 
ance of thy Spirit ; for our great contempt and man- 
ifold abuses of all such grace and goodness. Nev» 



24 Morning Prayer for a Family. 

cr punish our past sins, by giving us over to the 
love and power of our sins ; but give us true pen- 
itent hearts for all the evils committed by us ; and 
thy merciful discharge from all the guilt that lies 
upon us. And grant us, O good God, the com- 
fortable sense and apprehension of thy gracious ac- 
ceptance of us, and thy merciful intentions towards 
us in the Son cf thy love, the Lover of our souls : 
that our souls may bless thee, and all that is within 
Ais may praise thy holy name. 

And O that we may find the joy of the Lord to 
be our strength, to enable us against our sins ; es- 
pecially the sins to which we are most addicted, and 
whereof we are in greatest danger ; and to make us 
also more ready to every good w r ork, and better dis- 
posed for all the duties of piety, justice, charity and 
.sobriety, which we owe to thee our God, to our 
neighbor and ourselves : that herein we may exer- 
cise ourselves to have always the conscience void of 
offence towards God, and towards men. O help 
us to walk circumspectly, not as fools, but as wise ; 
carefully redeeming the time that we have lost, and 
conscientiously improving all those seasons, and 
means of grace, which thou art pleased \o put into 
our hands, for the best profit and advantage of our 
souls. And while we are upon earth, O give us all 
things needful and convenient for our present pil- 
grimage : and sanctify to us all our enjoyments, and 
all estates that we go through, and all events that 
now befal us ; till, through the merits of thy Son, 
and the multitude of thy mercies, we are conducted 
safe to be ever with the Lord. Amidst all our oth- 
er affairs in this world, O let us never forget or 
neglect the one thing needful ; but be in greatest 
care so to demean ourselves every day, as may for- 
ward our comfortable accounts in the great day of 
thy appearing and glory. 



Morning Prayer for a Family. 25 

O gracious Father ! keep us we beseech thee, this 
day in thy fear and favor ; and help us to live to 
thy honor and glory. If thou guide us not, we shall 
run into errors ; if thou preserve us not, we shall 
fall into dangers: O let thy good providence be our 
defence and security : and let thy holy Spirit be our 
guide and counsellor in all our ways. And grant 
that we may take the ways and courses agreeable to 
thy will, and acceptable in thy sight, through Jesus 
Christ : in whose sacred name and words we close 
up these our imperfect request;, to thee, Our Father, 
&c. 

Let thy grace, O Lord Jesus Christ, thy love, O 
heavenly Father, thy comfortable fellowship, O holy 
blessed Spirit, be with us, and with all whom we 
ought to beg thy mercy for in our prayers, this day, 
and for ever more. Amen, 

Another Morning Prayer for a Family. 

OLORD, thou art the God whose we are, and 
whom we ought to serve, with all the endow- 
ments and abilities for thy service, wherewith thou 
hast blessed us. For thou hast laid upon us all the 
obligations of thy laws, and all the endearments of 
thy love, to be faithful in the covenant of our God, 
and to abound in the work of the Lord. And we 
desire to humble our sinful selves here before thee, 
that our lives have been so unserviceable to thee, 
and so full of provocation against thee : that the dis- 
honor which we have done thee, O Lord, has by 
many degrees, exceeded all the service : that we 
have lived to ourselves, more than to the Lord and 
Giver of our lives ; and we have served our own 
lusts and pleasures more than thy holy blessed will ; 
which is the rule of all righteousness, and in the 
C 



26 Morning Prayer for a Family. 

performance whereof, there is the greatest reward. 
O how have we disbelieved thy truths, disobeyed 
thy commands, disregarded thy promises and 
threats ! and resisted and defeated all thy gracious 
methods to reclaim us from the evil of our ways, 
and to bring us over entirely to thyself. 

We have sinned against thee, our God, to the in- 
finite wrong and damage of our own souls ; and by 
our sins we have spoiled and destroyed ourselves ; 
but it is not in us to recover and save ourselves. 
No : in thee alone is all our help. Yea, thou hast 
laid help upon one that is mighty and able to save 
to the uttermost all that come to God through him : 
through whom thou hast encouraged us to come 
boldly to the throne of grace, that we may obtain 
mercy, and find grace to help in every time of need. 
In him, therefore, we beg, Lord, that thou wilt be 
reconciled to us, and at peace with us ; as a Father 
of mercies, and a God of consolation. 

And for his sake, enable us also, we beseech thee, 
to demean ourselves as becomes the children of God, 
the redeemed of the Lord, and the members and fol- 
lowers of Jesus Christ. O put such principles of 
grace and holiness into our hearts, as may make us 
to hate all iniquity, and every false way. And put 
thy spirit within us, causing us to walk in thy stat- 
utes, and to keep thy judgments, and to do them. 
Nor only lay thy commands upon us, but be pleas- 
ed, O Lord, to enable us for the performance of ev- 
ery duty required of us. And so engage our hearts 
to thyself, that we may make it our meat and drink 
to do thy will ; and with enlarged hearts, run the 
way of thy commands. O make our services ac- 
ceptable to thee while we live, and our souls ready 
for thee when we die. And as long as we are in 
this world, keep us, O Lord our God, from the evil 



Morning Prayer for a Family. 27 

of it, and from the snares and dangers which thou 
knowest we are continually exposed to in it. O 
make our passage safe and sure, through all the chan- 
ges, troubles, temptations, and various conditions of 
this mortal life, to the unchangeable glories and fe- 
licities, of life everlasting. 

Be merciful to us, good Lord, and bless us, and 
keep us this day, in all our ways, and in all our law- 
ful designs and undertakings : and may we take no- 
thing in hand, but what is warranted in thy 
word. O let us be in the fear of the Lord all the. 
daylong; let thy fear be ever before our eves to res- 
train us from the things provoking to our 'God, and 
destructive to our souls. And let thy love abound 
in our hearts, and sweetly and powerfully constrain 
us to all faithful and cheerful obedience, acceptable 
in thy sight, through him that has loved and redeem- 
ed us; even the Lord our righteousness; in whose 
blessed name, and the words of prayer which him- 
self has taught us, we continue praying, Our Father, 
&c. 

The blessing of God Almighty, Father, Son and 
Holy Ghost, be with us, and with all that belong to 
us, this day, and for ever more. Amen. 

A third Morning Prayer. 

OLORD God, merciful and gracious, long 
suffering, and abundant in goodness and truth ! 
Thou keepest mercy for thousands, pardonest ini- 
quity, transgression and sin, and dost not retain thy 
anger for ever, because thou deiightest in mercy. 
How excellent is thy loving kindness, O God! 
therefore do the sons of men put their trust under 
the shadow of thy wings. And therefore do we de- 
sire still to look up to that bountiful hand of thine, 



28 Morning Prayer for a Family. 

from whence we evermore have received all our good 
things. O Lord our God ! be thou pleased to look 
down mercifully upon us, and be gracious and fa- 
vorable to us, as thou usest to be unto those that 
love thy name. O look not upon the sin of our na- 
ture, nor the sins of our hearts and lives ; which are 
more than we can remember, and greater than we 
can express ; and such as make us seem vile, even 
in our own eyes, and so highly guilty before thy ho- 
ly Majesty, that it is of the Lord's mercies we are 
not consumed, because thy compassions fail not. 
But behold us in mercy, through the merits and me- 
diation of thy Son our Saviour, who did no sin, and 
was manifested that he might take away our sins : 
by whom it is that we have this access to the Majes- 
ty on high, and encouragement to come into thy 
presence, to ask what we need, and what thou abound- 
est with, and art inclinable to make thy poor crea- 
tures happy in the enjoyment of. 

And seeing there is in Christ Jesus an infinite ful- 
ness of all that ever we can want or wish to make us 
holy, and to make us most blessed eternally : O that 
we may all receive of his fulness grace sufficient for 
us : to pardon our sins, and subdue our iniquities ; 
to justify our persons, and to sanctify our souls ; and 
to complete upon our hearts and lives that holy reno- 
vating change, which may still more and more trans- 
form us into the blessed image after which thou didst 
create us ; and make us still more meet to be par- 
takers of the inheritance of thy saints in light. 

And teach us, O Lord our God, to use this world 
without abusing it, and to enjoy the things of it, 
without losing our part in thy love, which is better 
than life. Whatever we have of the world, O may 
we have the same with thy leave and love, sanctified 
to us by the word of God, and prayer ; and by the 



Morning Prayer for a Family, 29 

right employment and improvement thereof to thy 
glory, who art the gracious Giyer of all our good 
things. And whatsoever we want of the things of 
this life, O Lord our heavenly Father, leave us not 
destitute of any of those things that accompany sal- 
vation, but adorn our souls with all such graces of 
thy holy Spirit, as may enable us to adorn the doc- 
trine of God our Saviour in all things, by such a 
conversation as does become it. 

Help us, O gracious Lord, in the whole of our 
duty to thee our God ; and also in the discharge of 
all relative duties which we owe to men, whether 
superiors, equals, or inferiors, all with whom we 
have our conversation in the world: that we may 
walk wisely toward them that are without, and kind- 
ly toward them that are within ; and not be justly 
offensive unto any ; but, what in us lies, useful and 
beneficial to all. And thus let us pass the time of 
our sojourning here, in thy fear and favor, and to 
thy honor and glory ; that at our last review thereof, 
thy name may have the praise, and our souls the 
comfort, in the hour of death, and in the great day 
of our Lord Jesus Christ, 

And now that thou hast renewed our lives and 
thy mercies to us this morning, help us, good God, 
to renew our desires, and resolutions, and endeavors, 
to live in the obedience of thy holy will, and to the 
honor of thy blessed name. O restrain us from the 
evils and follies into which we are prone to fall ; and 
quicken us to the offices and duties which we are 
averse to perform. And grant that w T e may think 
and speak, and will and do, the things becoming 
the children of our heavenly Father ; and so find 
the strong consolation of thy gracious acceptance in 
Jesus Christ our Saviour ; who, when we pray, has 
taught us to say, Our Father, &c. 
C 2 ■ 



30 Morning Prayer for a Family. 

A fourth Morning Prayer. 

OLORD God, that hearest prayer, and art nigh 
to all that call upon thee in truth, having thine 
ears open to a world of creatures, that continually 
depend upon thee ! As we are moved by our own 
necessities, so are we encouraged by the daily ex- 
perience of thy mercies still to shelter ourselves un- 
der the shadow of thy wings, and to continue our 
suits and supplications at the throne of thy grace. 
And we beg of thee, who fashioneth all the hearts 
of the sons of men, that thou wilt prepare our hearts 
to come into thy holy presence and to call upon thy 
blessed name, in a due and acceptable manner. O ! 
pour upon us the spirit of grace and of supplications ; 
and let thy good Spirit help our infirmities, and 
teach us to pray, and to ask such things, and in 
such a way, as shall be most agreeable to thy will, 
and most advantageous to our souls. 

For we, who are but poor worms, and sinful dust 
and ashes ; that have too much cause to be afraid, 
lest our great and manifold sins have provoked thee 
to hide thy face from us, and to shut up thy loving 
kindness in displeasure against us, have taken upon 
us to speak unto thee, the Sovereign Majesty of 
heaven and earth. For we have done foolishly and 
wickedly, in not hearkening to the calls of thy word, 
nor yielding to the monitions of thy Spirit, to walk 
in the ways which thou hast set before us. Our 
iniquities are increased over our heads, our tres- 
passes are grown even up to heaven, and our sins 
are a sore burden, too grievous and heavy for us to 
bear. They are infinite debts, and sad accounts ; 
for which if thou, O Lord, shouldst enter into judg- 
ment with us, we could not answer thee one of a 



Morning Prayer for a Family. 31 

thousand : but must lay our hands upon our mouths, 
and plead nothing but guilty, having our whole de- 
pendence upon thy mercy. 

O God, be merciful to us, miserable sinners, for 
his sake, whom thou hast exalted to be a Prince 
and a Saviour, to give repentance to thy people, and 
forgiveness of their sins : be merciful to us, we 
pray thee, and heal our souls, that have greatly sin- 
ned against thee. O heal our backslidings, renew 
us to true repentance, establish our hearts m thy 
true fear and love, and establish our goings in thy 
holy ways; that we may not be so wavering and 
bent to backsliding, nor revolt from thee to turn to 
folly, after thou in mercy hast spoken peace to our 
souls ; but may go on conquering and to conquer all 
the enemies of our souls, and all the hinderances of 
our salvation, till satan be bruised under our feet. 

O thou God of all grace ! bring such thoughts to 
our minds, and lay such considerations home pow- 
erfully upon our hearts, as thou knowest most ef- 
fectual to prevail with us, to work us in thy will, 
and to keep us from our iniquity, within the bounds 
of our duty, till thou receive us into the blessed 
kingdom of thy glory. And, in the mean time, 
sanctify to us all thy dealings with us ; and bless 
us in all our undertakings, and in all our conditions, 
fruitions and relations. Make us humble in an high 
estate, contented in a low, and still duly careful of 
our souls in all ; following after the things now 
.which will bring us true peace and comfort at the 
last. 

Dispose of us, we beseech thee, our God, and of 
all that concerns us this clay, to the glory of thy 
name. O keep us at all times, and in all places and 
companies, from the evil of sin, and from all other 
evils, to which the greatness of our sins does make 



32 Morning Prayer for a Family. 

us liable. And take thou, O heavenly Father, the 
gracious charge, and guidance, and government of 
us ; and so lead us here in all our ways, with thy 
counsel, that hereafter thou mayest receive us into 
thy glory ; through thy tender mercies, and our Sav- 
iour's abundant merits : in whose own words, we 
beg all things needful for ourselves and others, at 
thy hands. 

Our Father, &c. 

A fifth Morning Prayer. 

OLORD our God ! thy name is most excel- 
lent in all the earth : thou hast set up thy glory 
above the heavens, and thou art worthy to be cele- 
brated with everlasting praises of men and angels : 
for thou hast created all things, and for thy pleasure 
it is that they are and were created. Thy hands, O 
Lord, have made us and fashioned us, and thou hast 
breathed into our nostrils the breath of life ; yea, 
still thou holdest our souls in life, and givest us eve- 
ry good thing that makes our lives a blessing and 
a comfort to us. Thou hast formed us for thyself, 
that we should shew forth thy praise, and live to thy 
glory, as we do continually live upon thy bounty. 

But, O Lord our God ! we have not brought 
thee the glory which thou hast made us capable of, 
and so many ways obliged us to : instead of that, O 
how greatly have we dishonored thee, our God, in 
the whole course and conduct of our lives ! Time 
after time, forgetting the gracious Giver of all our 
•good things, who art never unmindful of us : And 
O how soon have we been weary to do thee service, 
who art never weary to do us good ! Yea, we have 
not only neglected thy work, but have been diso- 
bedient against thy word, and have taken bold iu 



Morning Prayer for a Family. 33 

berties, to go on after our own foolish and hurtful 
lusts, in such ways of living as thy laws and our 
own hearts disallow and condemn us for. 

And for these things we desire to pour out our 
hearts, and to humble our sinful selves here before 
thee ; entreating thy gracious favor, for the sake of 
that mercy of thine in Christ Jesus, who has moved 
thee to spare us so long, and to do so much for us 
already, that thou wilt be pleased to give us repent- 
ance and pardon for all that is past, wherein we have 
offended thee ; whether in omitting of our duty, or 
failing in it, or doing contrary to it. However we 
have transgressed, O humble us duly under the 
sense of it ; and, for thy dear Son's sake, absolve 
us thoroughly from the guilt of it. 

And strengthen us, good Lord, with might by 
the spirit in the inner man, to make us more watch- 
ful against, and more victorious over, the corruption 
of our nature, the temptations of the devil, and the 
distractions and allurements of this sinful world, 
wherein we live. O destroy in us every vicious in- 
clination, every evil habit, and rebellious notion, 
that exalts itself against the knowledge of God, and 
against the obedience of our Lord Jesus Christ. 
And increase and confirm in us, still more and more, 
thy true knowledge and faith, and fear, and love ; 
and every grace of thy holy Spirit, which thou 
knowest to be most wanting in us, and necessary 
for us : such as may make our lives still more com- 
fortable to ourselves, more profitable to others, and 
more to the glory of thy name. And however it 
goes with us, as to the concerns of this present time, 
O that we may still be found in the way of our duty, 
fearing God, and working righteousness ; that we 
may secure our interest in the great Saviour of the 
world, so that when all here shall fail us, thou may- 



34 Morning Prayer for a Family. 

est take us up, and be the strength of our hearts, 
and our portion for evermore. 

Day by day we magnify thee, O Lord, who mak- 
est every day of our lives still a further addition to 
thy mercies. We bless thee for our last night's 
preservation and protection, and for the rest and re- 
freshment which thou hast given us therein. O 
cause us to hear thy loving kindness in the morning, 
for in thee do we trust ; cause us to know the way 
wherein we shall go, for we lift up our souls to thee. 
Cast us not away from thy presence ; take not thy 
holy Spirit from us; but direct all our ways to 
please thee our God, that thou mayest crown us 
with blessing and good success. Help us to see 
thy power, to own thy presence, to admire thy wis- 
dom, and to love thy goodness in all thy creatures. 
And by all the comforts of creatures, O draw our 
hearts still nearer to thyself, the, blessed Creator of 
every comfort ; and let our meditations of God be 
sweet as well as frequent, that delighting ourselves 
in the Lord, thou mayest give unto us the desires of 
our hearts. Such thy mercy and grace we beg for 
ourselves, and all ours, and thine, every where, in 
our great Mediator's form of prayer, Our Father, &c. 

A sixth Morning Prayer. 

WE do here present ourselves this morning 
before rhy heavenly glorious Majesty, most 
blessed Lord our God, with the desire of our souls, 
to pay unto thee that tribute of homage and service, 
and prayer and praise, which thou hast made us ca- 
pable of, and every way obliged us to. We desire 
to perform the same in such a manner, that thou 
mayest mercifully accept us and our services, at the 
hands of Christ Jesus. In his great name we come 



Morning Prayer for a Family. 35 

to thee, at thy command, and worship here at thy 
footstool, to beg thy pardon and peace, the increase 
of thy grace, and the tokens of thy love. For we 
are not worthy that thou shouldst, in any way of 
mercy, take notice of us, or be entreated by us : 
but worthy is the Lamb of God, slain to take away 
the sins of the world, for whose sake do thou, O 
Lord, mercifully look upon us ; for he has fulfilled 
those holy laws, which we have broken, and per- 
fectly satisfied the justice of heaven, for all our 
breaches of them. And in him thou art a God gra- 
cious and merciful, to poor sinners, who deserve no- 
thing from thee, but to be forsaken and abhorred by 
thee. Unto us belong shame and confusion of face 
for our sins, and fearful expectation of all the judg- 
ments and miseries which thy holy laws denounce 
against sinners : if thou, Lord, shouldst be extreme 
to mark what we have done amiss ; if thou shouldst 
deal with us and proceed against us as in justice 
thou mightest. 

But, O gracious Father, regard not what we have 
done against thee, but what our blessed Saviour has 
done for us : nor what we have made ourselves, but 
what he is made of thee, our God unto us. And O 
that Christ may be to every one of our souls, what 
he is to all thy faithful people, wisdom, and right- 
eousness, and sanctification, and redemption : that 
his precious blood may cleanse us from all our sins ; 
and that the grace of thy holy Spirit may further re- 
new and sanctify our souls, and subdue our iniqui- 
ties, and mortify our lusts ; and quicken us to, and 
enable us for the performance of all the duties of thy 
holy service. O let not sin reign in our mortal bod- 
ies, that we should obey it in the lust thereof. Let 
there be no sin in us but what is felt and hated, be- 
wailed and resisted by us : and let us approve our 



36 Morning Prayer for a Family. 

very hearts to thee, the Searcher of them ; and all 
our ways still pleasing in thy sight. 

O teach us to know thee, our God, and enable 
us to do thy will as we ought to do. Give us hearts 
to fear thee, and love thee ; to trust and delight in 
thee, and to adhere and cleave in faithfulness unto 
thee. That no temptations may draw us, nor any 
tribulations drive us from thee ; but that all thy dis- 
pensations to us, and all thy dealings with us, may 
be the messengers of thy love to our souls, to bring 
us still nearer to thy blessed self, and to make us 
still fitter for thy heavenly kingdom. Quicken us, 
O Lord, in our dulness ; that we may not serve 
thee in a lifeless and listless manner : but may abound 
in thy work, and be fervent in spirit, serving the 
Lord. And make us also faithful in all the offices of 
intercourse with our neighbors ; that we may be rea- 
dy to do good, and bear evil, and forbear revenge ; 
and be just and kind, merciful and meek, peaceable 
and patient, sober and temperate, humble and self- 
denying, inoffensive and useful in the world. That 
so glorifying thee here upon earth, we may at our 
departure hence, enter into the joy of our Lord, and 
be for ever glorified in thy heavenly kingdom. 

O thou that hast kept us alive to this day, and hast 
been still good and kind to us all our days, renew 
thy mercy to us, we beseech thee, together with this 
morning light : and as thou makest the outgoings 
of the morning and evening to rejoice, so lift up the 
light of thy countenance upon us, and make us glad 
with the tokens of thy love : and thou that art ever 
present with us, O make us ever well aware of thy 
presence, that we duly remember thee in all our 
ways, and wisely and piously demean ourselves in 
all our affairs. Be with us, good Lord, at our go- 
ing out, and our coming in : and let thy grace fol- 



Morning Prayer for a Family \ 37 

low us this day, and all the days of our life. Be 
thou our guide unto death, in death our comfort, 
and after death our portion and happiness everlast- 
ing. O hear us from heaven, thy dwelling place ; 
and, when thou hearest, have mercy ; forgive the 
sins of our persons, and the sins of our prayers : and 
do more for us than we are worthy to expect at thy 
hands, for his sake, who alone is worthy : in whose 
comprehensive words we sum up all our desires. 
Our Father, &c. 

A seventh Morning Prayer. 

OLORD God Almighty, thou art the Sover- 
eign Majesty of heaven and earth, against 
whom all our sins have been committed, by whom 
alone they can be pardoned, bur iniquities subdued, 
our souls sanctified, and all our wants and necessi- 
ties supplied. Thou art able, and also ready, to hear 
and help, to bless and save thy people, that look up 
unto thee, and wait, and call, and depend upon thee. 
We have none to repair to for remedy against the 
evils of our sins, but unto thee, the great God, a- 
gainst whom we have greatly sinned : who delight- 
est to shew mercy to the miserable, and lovest the 
occasions of glorifying thy compassion, in helping 
us out of those straits and perplexities, into which 
our sins have cast us, from which all the world else 
cannot save us. We come, Lord, begging that 
mercy, which thou knowest we extremely want, and 
grace to help in time of our need. We beg the 
same for the sake of thy infinitely beloved Son, our 
most worthy and all- prevailing Advocate, whose 
blood alone is of virtue and value sufficient, to wash 
out all the stains wherewith our sins have defiled our 
souls. 

D 



38 Morning Prayer for a Family. 

We are unclean, Lord, we are unclean : O how 
abominable at the worst, and how imperfect at the 
very best : but if thGu look upon us in the Son of 
thy eternal love, thou wilt not abhor our guilty souls. 
And to prepare us for the mercies of that Saviour 
which thou hast prepared for our souls, O make us 
to feel the burthen and the bitterness of our sins ; 
and help us to find them out to our repentance and 
reformation, that they may never find us out to our 
ruin and destruction. Holy Father ! carry on with 
power thy victory over our corruptions, and the 
work of faith, and grace, and sanctification in our 
souls. Quicken us, O Lord our God, and stir us 
up to thy work ; and help and assist us in the per- 
formance of all duties lying upon us, which of our- 
selves thou knowest how unable we are to perform. 
O thou that workest in us to will and to do, of thy 
good pleasure, be pleased to ordain peace for us, as 
thou hast also wrought all thy works in us. — Estab- 
lish the thing, O God, which thou hast wrought for 
us ; and go on to work mightily upon our hearts by 
thy grace, till our souls are fitted for the eternal en- 
joyment of thy glory. 

Dear Lord, thy mercies are fresh and new to us 
every morning. We laid us down and slept, and 
again awaked ; for thou hast sustained us, and kept 
us from the terrors of the night, and from all sad ac- 
cidents, to rise in peace and safety. Glory to thee, 
O God of our salvation, who art still so mindful of 
us, and merciful to us. Go on, we pray thee, to be 
good to us this day, and teach us how to carry our- 
selves, and to order all of our affairs. O direct our 
undertakings, and prosper our endeavors. Rule our 
hearts in thy fear and love, and our lives to thy hon- 
or and praise. O keep us from evil, and help us to 
do that which is good and pleasing to our God, 



Evening Prayer for a Family* 39 

through Jesus Christ. Give us, Lord, all that we 
have asked as we should ; forgive us all that we have 
asked amiss, and give us all else needful, that we 
should have asked ; which we continue to beg in 
the comprehensive words of thy dear Sou, Our 
Father, &q. 

Evening Prayer for a Family* 

OLORD our God ! thou art infinitely great, 
and infinitely good. Thy glory is above all 
our thoughts, and thy mercies are over all thy works. 
And above all thy mercies, have we cause to admire, 
and bless, and praise thee, for those mercies which, 
in so large a measure, and especial manner, thou 
hast been pleased still to vouchsafe unto us, who are 
the daily objects of thy bounty* and do continue still 
the living monuments of thy goodness. Where thy 
glorious perfections check and forbid our approach- 
es, thy gracious attributes invite and encourage our 
applications unto thee, and embolden us to look up- 
on thee, as our most kind and merciful Father in 
Jesus Christ. And though we have great and ma^ 
ny sins to confess, yet will we confess them, in 
hopes of thy pardon of them, and of power from on 
high, to enable us against them. 

Thou didst create us, O Lord, after thy own 
blessed image, in an holy and happy estate : but we 
have made ourselves vile and miserable, quite unlike 
the thing- which at first we came out of thy hands ; 
averse to good, prone to evil, and so very full of pro- 
vocation, that it is thy wonderful patience with us, 
and loving kindness to us, that thou hast not, long 
before this time, cut us off in our sins, and shut us 
up under final despair of thy v mercy. But thou hast 
so far declared thy willingness to be reconciled even 






40 Evening Prayer for a Family. 

to thy enemies, that thou hast sent thy only Son into 
the world, upon the great errand of our salvation : 
that whosoever believe in him, should not perish in 
their sins, but have everlasting life, for his sake. O 
Lord, we believe, help our unbelief: and give us 
the true repentance towards God, and the right faith 
in our Lord Jesus Christ ; that we may be of the 
number of those who do indeed repent and believe, 
to the saving of the soul. 

And save us, O good Lord, from our sinful selves, 
and from the love and course of this present evil 
world, and from every self- destroying way which we 
are tempted to follow. Make us a way to escape 
out of all the snares of temptation, wherewith we 
have been entangled and held, and sore let and hin- 
dered in running the race set before us. And make 
thy ways plain before us, and so full of invitations to 
us, that we may be thoroughly convinced of their 
goodness and excellence, and resolvedly give up our- 
selves to follow them : that our own experience in 
the way of goodness may be more to keep and engage 
us to it, than all the allurements and discouragements 
in the world to put us beside it. Establish, O Lord, 
and strengthen and settle us ; that going forth in thy 
strength, we may do thy will to all well -pleasing ; 
and continue in thy fear and love to our lives' end. 

Which things we beg not for ourselves alone, but 
also in behalf of all whom we ought to intreat thy mer- 
cy for in our prayers. O bring nigh unto thee all 
those that are yet afar off; and make manifest the sa- 
vor of thy knowledge in every place : that such as 
yet sit in darkness and in the shadow of death, may 
come to see the light of thy truth, and the joy of thy 
salvation. O that every one who names the name of 
Christ may depart from iniquity, and so live up to 
their high and holy profession, that they may give no 



Evening Prayer for a Family. 41 

just occasion to the enemies of the Lord to blas- 
pheme ; but adorn the doctrine of God our Saviour 
in all things, and to put to silence the ignorance 
of foolish men by well doing. 

Be gracious and favorable, O Lord, in an especial 
manner to thy church. Arise, O God, and plead thy 
own cause, and maintain thy true and holy religion, 
which thou hast so long and so wonderfully owned 
and asserted. O let not the enemies of thy church 
ever have cause to say, that they have prevailed a- 
gainst thy people : but let all that do espouse thy 
cause, and stand up for the honor and defence of thy 
truth, be still prevalent and prosperous in all their pi- 
ous designs ; and still have cause to say, the Lord be 
magnified, who has pleasure in the prosperity of his 
servants. 

Bless, with the choicest of thy blessings, the Pre- 
sident of these United States.* O Lord, protect his 
person, direct his counsels, make his administration 
easy mid happy, both to himself and us ; and prosper 
all his undertakings and endeavors for the public 
safety, peace and welfare of these states. Give all 
magistrates wisdom and courage to defend the truth, 
and to do right to all. Make ministers an example 
to the flock, in all sobriety, righteousness and holi- 
ness of living ; and establish us all an holy people 
to thyself: granting us one heart, and one way, 
that we may all agree in the same faith, and adorn it 
with a suitable life. 

Comfort all that want the comforts which we en- 
joy : and apply thyself in a way of agreeable mercy, 
to the several necessities and calamities of all thy 
afflicted ones, wheresoever or howsoever they are 
tried. Remember, with the favor which thou 

* In the English copy, were these words : " the King whom thou 
hast put in authority over us." 

D2 



42 Evening Prayer for a Family. 

bearest to thy people, all our friends and benefactors, 
our kindred after the flesh, and whosoever are dear to 
us, on any other account. Make them, O Lord, 
such as thou wouldst'have them, and such as, in 
Christ Jesus, thou wilt mercifully accept of them, 
here to thy gracious favor, and hereafter to thy glo- 
rious kingdom. Forgive our enemies, and turn 
their hearts ; and turn ours to forgive them. And 
direct all our ways to please thee, that thou mayest 
make even our enemies to be at peace with us. 

Hear us, O God of the spirits of all flesh ! hear 
us for ourselves and others ; others for themselves 
and us : and hear the Son of thy love, the Lover of 
our souls, for us and all the members of thy church 
militant here on earth, whereof Christ Jesus in hea- 
ven is the glorious head. For him and to him with 
thine eternal self, most holy Father, and the blessed 
Spirit of grace, our Guide and Comforter, be all 
thanks, and praise, and honor, and glory, humbly 
and heartily rendered and ascribed of us, and all thy 
people, now and for evermore. Amen. 

Another Evening Prayer for a Family. 

OUR ever blessed and most gracious God ! thou 
art the Lord and Giver of our lives and hopes, 
and of all our enjoyments and comforts. To thee 
we do owe ourselves, and all that ever we are capa- 
ble, of rendering and ascribing. For by thee, O 
Lord, we w r ere created and have our being ; and 
through thy good providence it is, that we still have 
been spared and preserved, and cared and provided 
for, throughout our whole lives, unto this present 
time. From thee, our God, comes all our help, 
and in thee is reposed all our hope. Thou art the 
bountiful Giver of all the good that our souls de- 



Evening Prayer Jor a Family. ' 43 

sire, and the merciful Withholder of all the evils 
that our sins deserve. We acknowledge thy great 
and daily goodness to us, and our own exceeding 
un worthiness of the least of all thy mercies. We 
take shame and confusion to ourselves, that we have 
so little improved, and so greatly abused, all thy pa- 
tience with us, and all the various instances of thy 
bounty to us. For even thy mercies help to inflame 
the heavy reckoning of our offences, because we 
have done so much against thee, after all the great 
things thou hast done for us. We desire, O Lord, 
to be penitent, and humbled for our sins; and to en- 
treat thy gracious favor in Jesus Christ, for the par- 
don of them. Forgive us, we pray thee, for his sake, 
all the sins that ever we have committed against thee, 
and absolve us from all the evils whereof we now 
stand guilty before thee. And being justified by 
faith, grant us peace with God, through our Lord 
Jesus Christ. 

And we pray that thou wilt be to us a Father of 
mercies, and a God of consolation ; so that thou 
wilt make us followers of God, as dear children ; 
ever jealous over our hearts, and watchful over our 
ways ; continually fearing to offend, and endeavor- 
ing to please thee ; and keeping our hearts with all 
diligence, that they may not be hardened through 
the deceitfulness of sin. Thou knowest, O Lord, 
our weakness, and danger of temptation ; our dan- 
ger from the cruel, subtle enemy of our souls ; and 
from this present world that is so full of snares ; and 
from our own vile flesh and deceitful hearts, so apt 
to betray us into the enemy's hands : we pray, 
therefore, good Lord, that thou wilt arm us with the 
whole armor of God, and uphold us with thy free 
Spirit, and watch over us for good evermore. Es- 
pecially in the times of our sorest trials, let us expe- 



44 Evening Prayer for a Family. 

rience the strongest aids of thy heavenly grace, that 
Ave may never fall a miserable prey to those deadly 
enemies that seek to devour us. 

And teach us, our God, to know the day of grace, 
and the time of our visitation, and to see the things 
of our peace, and duly to mind and settle the great 
eternal affairs of our souls, in this our day, before 
they be hid from our eyes. And while we have time, 
O enable us to use and improve it, to those great 
ends for which thou art pleased to put that precious 
talent into our hands, that we may make the short 
and uncertain stay which we have here, an opportuni- 
ty of securing to ourselves a sure and everlasting 
well-being, when w T e shall depart from hence. 

And seeing thou art pleased yet to hold our souls 
in life, and to make us find and feel, by every day's 
experience, how abundantly gracious and merciful 
thou art, with much patience and long-suffering, en- 
during us, and with loving kindness and manifold 
blessings, still preventing and following us. O give 
us hearts more sensible of thy love, more affected 
with thy mercy, and more thankful for those con- 
tinued favors which thou art pleased to multiply 
upon us. And help us to show forth thy praise 
and the truth of our thanks, not only in speaking 
good of the name of God, but so ordering our con- 
versations as becomes the gospel of our Lord Jesus 
Christ. 

And to thy mercy in him, most merciful Father, 
we do now humbly recommend ourselves, and all 
that we are, and have, this present night : beseech- 
ing thee to preserve and defend, and bless and keep 
us, both in soul and body, from all evils and dan- 
gers, to which the weakness of our frame, and the 
greatness of our sins, do expose us. And grant us 
such comfortable repose, w T hereby our frail nature 



Evening Prayer for a Family. 45 

may be refreshed, and our decayed strength recov- 
ered, that we may rise again better fitted and enabled 
to serve thee according to thy will in all the duties 
of the following day, if thou shalt be pleased to 
make addition of another day to our lives. And as 
thou addest days and mercies, be pleased also to add 
repentance and amendment to our lives - T that, as we 
come nearer to our end, we may be made still fitter 
to the enjoyment of thy heavenly kingdom ; that 
every day may bring us still so much nearer to those 
everlasting joys and glories which thou hast prepar- 
ed for them that love thee. And for all the good 
things that ever we have had, and do at present en- 
joy, and yet hope for from thy bountiful hands, 
thine, O blessed glorious Lord our God, be the 
praise, and honor, and glory, offered up with all 
grateful hearts, by us, and the whole church, now 
and for evermore. Amen. 

A third Evening Prayer. 

OLORD, thou art our gracious God, our chief- 
est good, and our most merciful Father in 
Jesus Christ ; in whose great name, and prevailing 
mediation, alone it is, that we, who have multiplied 
our offences against thee, are encouraged still to 
present pur persons, and our prayers here before 
thee. It is a privilege which we must acknowledge 
ourselves utterly unworthy to enjoy, that thou 
shouldst admit us into thy service : yea into fellow- 
ship with thy blessed self. We durst not appear in 
the presence of such a holy glorious Majesty, in our 
own names, or trusting in any merits or righteous- 
ness in ourselves ; being conscious to so much of 
our sin and guilt, as may make us ashamed to come 
before thy face, and to tremble for fear of thy judg« 



46 Evening Prayer for a Family. 

merits. But we come in the name and mediation 
of thy dear Son, whom thou dost infinitely love 
above all, who has fully satisfied thy justice for our 
sins, and does continually intercede at thy right hand 
for our souls ; whom thou delightest to honor in 
sparing, accepting, and saving poor unworthy sin- 
ners upon his account. O deliver us, most gra- 
cious Lord, for his sake, from all our transgressions, 
for which our hearts condemn us : and from^all, of 
which thou, that art greater than our hearts, k new- 
est us to be guilty. And seal to us a pardon, in his 
most precious blood, which speaks better things in 
our behalf, than we are able to do ourselves, in all 
cur prayers. 

And may the time past of our lives suffice to have 
lived to ourselves, and to have served our own lusts 
and pleasures. O put an end to all our presump- 
tuous and treacherous dealings with thy heavenly 
all- seeing Majesty ; and grant us new and clean, hum- 
ble and contrite hearts, to tremble at thy word and 
presence, and to hate and abandon all our foolish 
and sinful misdoings. And wilt thou engage to thy- 
self, O blessed Lord, the best and frequentest 
thoughts of our minds, the chief and choicest affec- 
tions of our hearts, and the main tendency and activ- 
ity of our souls : O let us be taken up with such 
content and delight in attendance upon thee, and 
communion with thee, that the most tempting things 
of this world may not pull us down into an inordi- 
nate or immoderate love of them ; nor disturb and 
hinder us in the pursuit of what our faith foresees, 
and what thy love has prepared for, and promised 
to thy servants. 

Hear us, O Lord, for ourselves, and let our sup- 
plications also ascend before thee in the behalf of all 
men living. Send thy word, and the means of grace 



Evening Prayer for a Family, 47 

to such as are yet destitute of them; and make them 
efficacious, and the savor of life in those that do en- 
joy them. Convert the unconverted, and perfect 
thy good work where thou hast begun it. Give a 
check from heaven to all profaneness, vice and un- 
godliness, that presumptuous sinners may he asham- 
ed, and the wickedness of the wicked may come to 
an end. O make thy church to increase and flour- 
ish, and thy servants to prevail and rejoice. Be 
gracious and favorable to this land, and to the head 
and governors thereof, and to all inferior and par- 
ticular members of it. O do thou rule all our ru- 
lers, counsel all our counsellors, teach ail our teach- 
ers, and turn and order all our public affairs, to the 
glory of thy name, to the welfare of thy church, and 
to the happiness of this nation. Avert from us, we 
beseech thee, the judgments which we feel or fear, 
and continue to us the blessings and comforts for 
our bodies, and especially the helps and advantages 
for our souls,- which. through thy favor we do enjoy. 
And notwithstanding all the devices of the enemies 
of our peace, and all the great and crying provocations 
of our sins, O be thou still our God, and let us be 
thy people. 

Think thoughts of pity and compassion to all the 
sons and daughters of affliction. O sanctify thy 
fatherly corrections to them, support them under 
their several burthens, and in thy good time deliver 
them from all the pressures that are upon them. Be 
good to all our friends and neighbors, reward our 
benefactors, bless our relations with the best of thy 
blessings, making them near to thyself by grace, as 
they are to us by alliance. Preserve us from our en- 
emies, and reconcile them both to us and to thyself. 
O that all the habitations of Christians may be hou- 
ses of prayer, and be thou especially kind to the sev- 



48 Evening Prayer for a Family. 

eral families where thy blessed name is called upon. 
Let thy heavenly blessings, and thy saving grace 
descend and rest upon us here in this family. O 
guide us, and keep us ; make us wise and faithful 
in our duty, and prosperous and blessed in the issue. 
Bless all our present estates to us, and fit us all for 
whatsoever thou shalt be pleased to call us to. O 
teach us how to want and how to abound ; and both 
in a prosperous and suffering condition, secure our 
hearts to thyself, and make us ever to approve our- 
selves sincere and faithful in thy service. 

And now, O Lord, be pleased to accept our eve- 
ning sacrifice of praise and thanksgiving, to thee the 
Father of mercies, and fountain of all goodness, for 
the mercies of the day past, and for thy great mercy 
and goodness, that has hitherto followed us all the 
days of our life. — For our lives have been filled 
with thy mercies, and thou hast abounded towards 
us in loving kindness, and variety of thy sweet and 
comfortable blessings, pertaining to this world, and a 
better ; passing by our innumerable sins, as if thou 
sawest them not, thou goest on still to oblige us with 
new favors. O, dear Lord, imprint and preserve 
upon our hearts a lively and grateful sense and re- 
membrance of all thy kindness unto us, that our 
souls may bless thee, and all that is within us may 
praise thy holy name. 

Yea, let us give thee thanks from the ground of 
the heart, and praise our God, whilst we have our 
being. And for all thy patience with us, thy care 
over us, and thy continual mercy to us, blessed be 
thy name, O Lord God, our heavenly Father : and 
unto thee be all thanks, and praise, and love, and 
obedience, and honor, and glory, offered by us and 
all thine, every where, now and evermore. Amen. 



Evening Prayer for a Family. 4$ 

A fourth Evening Prayer, 

OLORD, the infinite, incomprehensible God, 
who art before all, art above all, and wilt be 
for ever the same, when time shall be no more ! 
Thou hast heaven for thy throne and the earth for thy 
footstool ; and all the things in both, continually in 
thy sight, and at thy disposal. Thou art the Search- 
er of our hearts, and the Overseer of our whole 
lives, here and every where present ; and now and 
evermore thou seest us, and compasseth our path, 
and our lying down, and art thoroughly acquainted 
with all our ways. Thou knowest, O Lord, the 
dulness and hardness, the vanity and deceitfulness of 
our hearts ; how much ado we have to bring and 
keep them in an holy frame, fit to attend upon thy 
heavenly Majesty. For that we were born sinners, 
and so have lived and continued ; and by custom of 
sinning, and still adding sin unto sin, we have made 
ourselves more the children of wrath than we are by 
nature ; transgressing thy holy, good and righteous 
Jaws, abusing thy great and manifold mercies, tempt- 
ing thy patience, despising thy goodness, offending 
thee more, even for thy long forbearance with us, 
and making the very abundance of thy grace our en- 
couragement to continue in our sins. So that the 
least of all those mercies which we do enjoy, is far 
above any thing that we have reason to expect, at 
the hands of that God whom we have so greatly pro- 
voked. And justly mightest thou, O Lord, with- 
draw thy tender mercies from us, and pour out thy 
wrath and indignation to the uttermost upon us ; 
making us to find and feel by woful experience, 
what an evil and bitter thing it is to trespass upon 
thee, as we have done. Thou mightest make us 
E 



50 Evening Prayer for a Family. 

experience the same, in the place of torment, and 
outward darkness, where is weeping and wailing and 
gnashing of teeth, and from whence there is no re- 
demption. 

But thou art a God of wonderful patience to bear 
with sinners ; and a God of infinite goodness and 
mercy, to forgive the sins of all them that are peni- 
tent. Thou hast said, that if the wicked forsake his 
way, and the unrighteous man his thoughts, and re- 
turn to the Lord, thou wilt have mercy upon him, 
and abundantly pardon. But, O Lord, thou know- 
est that without thee we cannot so much as come 
unto thee, unless thou meet us with thy heavenly 
grace and help us with thy almighty assistance. 
We humbly beg, therefore, that thou wilt be gra- 
ciously pleased to stretch forth thy powerful and 
merciful hand, to loose the captive chain wherein 
our sins have entangled our souls. And let it be 
thy gracious pleasure, O blessed Lord, to set us 
free from every weight of sin and yoke of bondage, 
that lies heavy upon our souls, and unfits us* to 
serve thee with that sincerity, and readiness, and 
gladness, which thou requirest of thy people,. O 
help us so to see and feel, so to hate and bewail, and 
confess and forsake our sins, that we may have the 
well-grounded apprehension, and the comfortable 
persuasion of thy forgiveness of them ; thy accep- 
tance of us, and thy love to us in the blessed Son of 
thy eternal love. 

And for his sake, wilt thou grant us, O Lord, 
the increase of thy grace, and such aids of thy holy 
Spirit, as may enable us to subdue our sins, and fit 
us for all the duties of thy service, which either we 
have neglected, or but unduly and faultily perform- 
ed. That we may serve thee, our God, sincerely 
without hypocrisy ; cheerfully, without dulness ; 



Evening Prayer for a Family, 51 

universally, without partiality ; and constantly, with- 
out falling away, or being weary of well-doing. Thou 
art not weary to do us good ; O let us never be wea- 
ry to do thee service: But as thou hast pleasure in 
the prosperity of thy servants, so let us take pleasure 
in the service of our Lord, and abound in thy work, 
and in thy love and praise evermore. O fill up all 
that is wanting, and reform whatever is amiss in us, 
and perfect that which concerns us ; making us 
such in our hearts, and in our lives, towards thee, 
our God, that we may obtain thy blessed peace here, 
and thy heavenly glory hereafter. And be thou 
pleased to grant us now, out of the riches of thy 
grace, the comfortable sense of thy gracious accept- 
ance of us, and thy merciful intentions towards us. 
O speak peace to our consciences, and say to our 
souls, thou art our salvation ; that we may look up- 
on thee, our God, as a reconciled Father to us in Je- 
sus Christ* 

In his great name, and prevailing mediation, we 
enlarge our petitions, in behalf of the whole race of 
mankind, that are now with us alive upon earth. O 
that all the ends of the world may remember them- 
selves, and turn to the Lord, and see the salvation 
of our God ! Do good, O God, in thy good plea- 
sure to Zion, and build thou the walls of Jerusalem, 
that we may see the good of it all the days of our 
life. Continue thy mercies to this sinful land, 
whereof we are sinful members. Teach us to know 
the meaning of thy dispensations to us ; and help 
us to improve by all thy dealings with us. O turn 
all our hearts to thee, as the heart of one man : and 
reform all our lives, according to the holy pattern 
and precepts of our Lord, that, thou mayest cause 
thy anger towards us to cease; and go on still to 
take care of us, and never leave nor forsake us. 



52 Evening Prayer for a Family, 

Bless abundantly, we humbly beseech thee, thy 
servant, the President of the United States, and all 
others in authority ; and so replenish them with the 
grace of thy holy Spirit, that they may always in- 
cline to thy will and walk in thy way : Endue them 
plentiously with heavenly gifts ; and grant them in 
health and prosperity long to live :* And grant unto 
all ministers of thy gospel continual supplies of all 
needful gifts and graces of thy holy Spirit, for the 
faithful and comfortable discharge of their several 
duties. O bring all our neighbors near to thyself; 
and be thou a friend to all our friends, a father to 
the fatherless, a husband to the widow, a refuge to 
the oppressed, a physician to the sick, a helper to 
the friendless, a God of consolation to the distressed 
and sorrowful, whatever be their trouble and afflic- 
tion. O bless to us, whatever thou art pleased to 
allot us, and every thing that befals us. Make all 
work for our good : to build us up in thy grace, 
and to help us on to thy glory. 

And as thou hast been good and kind to us the 
day past, and throughout our whole lives : for which 
we desire, O Lord, humbly and thankfully to ad- 
mire thy love, and to bless thy name : so we beg- 
that we may experience the continuance of thy gra- 
cious goodness, to us, and thy fatherly care over us, 
this present night. O preserve and defend, and bless 
and keep us, that no evil may befal us, nor any 

* In the English copy the reading of the preceding part of this para 
graph is in the following words : " Bless abundantly the King's Majes- 
ty, who now sways the sceptre of these realms. O Lord preserve' his 
life, prolong his days, and prosper his government. Give him the 
hearts of his subjects, and the necks of his enemies. Make him the 
rejoicing of thy people, and a terror only to evil-doers. O continue 
him long a zealous defender of the faith, a promoter of thy fear, and 
assertor of our rights, that under his shadow we may be in peace and 
safety, enjoying the liberty of the gospel, and the free profession and 
establishment of thy true and holy religion." 



Evening Prayer for* a Family. 53 

plague come nigh our dwelling. Give us sleep and 
rest to refresh and strengthen us for thy service, and 
our duty : and prepare us, O Lord, for our last 
sleep, in death, and for our departure out of this 
mortal life, and those great accounts that we must 
make before the judgment-seat of Jesus Christ. O 
instruct us, and assist us, in that great work of pre- 
paration for our everlasting condition ; that we may, 
in this only time of preparation, finish the great 
work which thou hast given us to do, before the 
night of death overtake us, wherein we cannot 
work. That, whenever thou shalt be pleased to 
give us the summons of death, we may find nothing 
to do but to die, and cheerfully resign our spirits 
into thy gracious hands, who gavest them to us, 
through the riches of thy grace, and the worthiness 
of thy Son ; in whose merits alone we trust, and for 
all that he has so wonderfully effected, to recover 
and help us, and to obtain eternal redemption for 
us, to thy name, O blessed God of our salvation, 
be the praise, and honor, and glory, given by us 
and all thy people, from this time forth for ever- 
more. Amen, 

A fifth Evening Prayer, 

OLORD, we desire to seek thy face, and to 
wait upon thee in the duties of thy worship ; 
intreating thy gracious favor with our whole hearts, 
that we may do all as we ought, with good accept- 
ance to our God. And to whom should we make 
our applications, but unto thee, the Father of mer- 
cies and the fountain of all goodness, who art able 
to do exceeding abundantly for us, even above all 
that we can ask or think ; and who hast declared thy 
willingness to be importuned and solicited by us"; 
E 2 



54 Evening Prayer fur a Family, 

and thy readiness to hear, and help, and answer us, 
in those things which we beg at thy gracious and 
bountiful hands, in the name and mediation of our 
great Lord and Saviour : O let our prayer be set 
before thee as incense, and the lifting up of our 
hands be as the evening sacrifice, pleasing to thee 
our God, in the Son of thy love. It is in his bless- 
ed name alone, that we have the encouragement and 
boldness to beg of thy infinite goodness all that thou 
knovvest to be needful and expedient for us ; seeing 
there is in ourselves no good thing to recommend 
us to thy favor and acceptance ; but a proneness and 
inclination to what is displeasing in thy eyes, and 
destructive to our souls. For besides that we were 
by nature the children of wrath, a seed of evil-doers, 
the sinful offspring of rebellious parents ; we have 
been daily trespassing upon thee, and still adding to 
the heavy score of our offences against thee. There 
is nothing in us, O Lord, but what may provoke 
thee to reject us : but there is enough in thy be- 
loved Son, of all grace and goodness, to move thee 
mercifully to accept us. He was made sin for us, 
who knew no sin, that we might be made the right- 
eousness of God in him ; and that we might be sav- 
ed through faith in his merits, where we could not 
be saved by any desert of our own works. O see 
our sins punished in our Saviour, who was wounded 
ibr our transgressions, and bruised for our iniqui- 
ties : and as the chastisement of our peace was upon 
him, so let the merits of his righteousness be upon 
us ; and by his stripes let our souls be healed. 

Nor do we only beg for pardon of our sins, but 
also for power against them, and grace sufficient for 
us to break them off, and to walk more pleasingly 
before thee, in all the ways and duties of righteous- 
ness and holiness, which thy word prescribes to us. 



Evening Prayer for a Family. 55 

O never suffer us to be tempted above what we are 
able; but make our temptations less, or thy grace in 
us, and our spiritual strength, still greater than all 
our temptations ; that no iniquities may prevail 
against us, nor any presumptuous sin have domin- 
ion over us. O make us more conformable to the 
pattern and the precepts of our Saviour ; and more 
transformed into his holy image and likeness : that 
we may not profess the religion of Jesus Christ to 
the wrong and disparagement of it ; nor make the 
way of truth, by reason of us, to be evil spoken of; 
but let our light shine before men, to the glory of 
thee our heavenly Father, and to the edification of 
those with whom we have our conversation. 

And seeing the time of our abode in this transi- 
tory world is so very short and uncertain, and we 
have an everlasting estate to abide in after our de- 
parture hence ; where we must be happy or miser- 
able eternally, according to what we do now in the 
body : O let us not here set up our rest, as if we 
were at home upon earth, nor flatter ourselves with 
the thoughts of long life, or sure enjoyment of any 
of those things that perish in the using ; but all the 
days of our appointed time, may we wait till our 
change comes ; and not' only live in expectation of 
it, but in the daily serious preparation for it ; in the 
exercise of all those graces and good works that may 
make it unto us Christ to live, and gain to die ! that 
in life and death we may be always thine ; still safe 
in thy hands, and acceptable in thy sight. 

And together with our own, we commend to thy 
mercy, O God of the spirits of all flesh, the necessi- 
ties and distresses of all our brethren throughout the 
world. O enlighten the ignorant, quicken the care- 
less, awake the secure, convince the erroneous, re- 
claim the vicious, establish; the unsettled, and com- 



56 Evening Prayer for a Family. 

fort the dejected. Bring all to the knowledge and 
love of thy truth, and to the participation of thy 
grace, and the obedience of Christ ; and so to the 
blessed hope of thy heavenly glory, and to the eter- 
nal salvation of our souls. We pray, as more par- 
ticularly bound, for all our magistrates and minis- 
ters of the gospel ; and all our 'friends and relations ; 
and all thy servants, and all the afflicted every where ; 
especially those for whose happiness and salvation 
thou knowest us to be chiefly concerned. O do 
thou for us, and for them, as thou knowest best, and 
most needful and expedient, for thy own mercy's 
sake in Jesus Christ. 

As we pray to thee for what we want, so we desire to 
praise thee for all that we have received at thy hands. 
And blessed be thy name, O Lord, that we have 
any thing, yea that we have so many things, to bless 
and praise thee for. O what shall we render to the 
Lord for all his benefits ! What can we give to thee 
our God, but the glory of thy own gifts and good- 
ness unto us. O dear Lord ! let not our hearts be 
shut and straitened towards thee, whose hand is eve- 
ry day so open unto us ; but do thou possess and 
enlarge these hearts of curs with more and greater 
love and thankfulness to thee, that hast so abounded 
in mercy and loving kindness towards us, that we 
may give thee thanks with all our hearts, and glorify 
thy name for evermore. 

And now that the night is upon us, and we are 
ready to betake ourselves to our rest, we commit 
ourselves to thy gracious protection, who never 
sleepest nor slumberest, but hast still a watchful eye 
open upon thy people. O watch over us, our God, 
we pray thee for good, that none of the evils or harms 
which our sins have deserved may befal us. Pre- 
serve us from the works, and from the powers of 



Evening Prayer for a Family. 57 

darkness, and from all the terrors and dangers of 
the night. Let all our sins, to-day, or any time here- 
tofore committed, be removed out of thy sight, and 
show us the light of thy countenance, O Lord, to 
refresh us with the sense of thy blessed love and fa- 
vor, in our dear Redeemer : for whom, and to whom, 
with thy eternal self, and Holy Spirit, be all thanks 
and praise, and honor, and glory, ascribed of us and 
all thy church, from this time forth, world without 
•end. Amen. 

A sixth Evening Prayer. 

OLORD, our God, most high and mighty, 
most wise and holy, thou art and good ! Thou 
art, and for ever wast, and for ever shall continue, 
unspeakably blessed and glorious, above all that we 
are able to express or to conceive. Thou dost not 
need the services of men or angels to make the least 
addition to thy glory and bliss. Men cannot be prof- 
itable unto God : our goodness will not extend to the 
Lord. But in kindness and love to our souls it is, 
that thou art pleased to lay thy commands upon us, 
to wait upon thee in these duties of thy immediate 
service ; which is the blissful employment of all the 
glorious host of heaven. Thou humblest thyself 
even to behold the things that are in heaven, to take 
notice of the worship of those blessed creatures above. 
O how wonderful is thy condescension than, to look 
down upon us, poor sinful worms, that dwell here in 
houses of clay, whose foundation is in the dust ! 
Lord, what is man that thou takest knowledge of him, 
and the son of man that thou makest account of him ! 
Thou canst not at all need us, nor any thing of ours, O 
blessed God ; but we all dp stand in great and con- 
tinual need of thee, our only sovereign good : in need 



58 Evening Prayenfor a Family. 

of thy mercy and forgiveness, thy grace and guid- 
ance, thy blessing and assistance ; without which 
we could never hope to escape the curses and mise- 
ries which are the due wages of our sins ; nor ever 
to attain unto that glory and blessedness, which are 
the free gifts of God in Jesus Christ. 

The desire of our souls, therefore, is to thy name, 
O Lord, and to the remembrance of thee. Our eyes 
are towards thee, and all our expectation is from 
thee : and still we wait, and call, and depend upon 
thee, till thou have mercy upon us, according to 
our several necessities ; and according to the riches 
of thy grace, and the multitude of thy mercies. O 
remember not against us our former Iniquities : en- 
ter not into judgment with us, according to the de- 
sert of our sins : but according to thy mercy re- 
member thou us: For thy goodness' sake, O Lord, 
blot out our trangressions as a cloud : and justify 
us freely by thy grace, through the redemption that 
is in Jesus Christ. And bless us, holy God of our 
salvation, in turning us from all our iniquities, and 
giving us grace, to repent and amend our lives ac- 
cording to thy holy word. 

And to this end, be thou pleased to enlighten our 
darkened minds with the beams of thy saving truth, 
that we may not be unwise, but understand what the 
will of the Lord is — And reform our depraved wills, 
inclining them to a cheerful and ready compliance 
with all the motions of thy good Spirit. Regulate 
our unruly passions ; purify our corrupt affections ; 
and convert all the faculties of our souls, to be in- 
struments of thy glory, as they have been of thy dis- 
honor : and make our bodies fit temples for thy ho- 
ly Spirit to dwell in. Yea, sanctify us wholly, that 
we may, as we ought, sanctify thy blessed name. 

And quicken us, O Lord, to hear thy voice 



Evening Prayer for a Family, 59 

while it is called to-day : that we may make haste, 
and not delay to keep thy commandments. O keep 
us frequently and affectionately mindful of the 
shortness of our time, the frailty of our lives, and 
the uncertainty of our being here in this mutable 
world, that so soon passeth away, and where we 
have no continuing city ; but are strangers and so- 
journers with thee, as all our fathers before us were. 
O let the remembrance and consideration of this 
have such a prevailing influence upon us, as to cru- 
cify the world to us, and make us more concerned 
for our everlasting welfare, and more careful to im- 
prove every present enjoyment to our soul's eternal 
advantage ; and to grow holier still as we grow older ; 
that the days which pass over us may not leave us, 
without any amendment wrought upon us ; but that 
the work of thy grace may go on successfully upon 
our hearts, till it has made us ripe and ready for the 
joys and glories of thy kingdom. 

The same things also we beg in behalf of all that 
ought to share in our prayers. O forgive the sins, 
and relieve the miseries of thy poor creatures every 
where. Enlarge the borders of thy church, and 
make additions to it daily of such as shall be saved. 
O that all who are called Christians, may be truly 
christian, both in their right believing and their holy 
living. Advance the interest, and extend the limits 
of thy Son's kingdom, and may ail nations flow into 
it, as to their rest. Bless our land, and endue our 
rulers,* and those who direct our public affairs, with 
wisdom from on high. Give our judges the spirit 
of discernment, and aid and countenance our magis- 
trates in the faithful execution of their office. Make 
them all men fearing God, and eschewing evil.— 

* Varied from the English copy ; where the petition is for " the 
King, that he may judge thy people righteously, &c." 



60 Evening Prayer for a Family, 

And O that all who are called to serve at thy altar, 
may be blessed with skilful heads, and compassion- 
ate hearts, and exemplary lives. Make them wise 
to win souls, and faithful, industrious and successful 
in their sacred office, as workmen that need not be 
ashamed. Bless and prosper all the places of good 
learning and education ; and make all this people the 
Lord's people ; that they may all know thee from the 
greatest to the least ; and so order their conversation 
aright, that they may see the salvation of God. Re- 
member them all for good ; who have been any way 
instruments of our good, such as have done us good, 
O Lord, reward them : and all that have, orwould 
hurt us, O Lord forgive them. Give unto all that 
mourn in Zion, beauty for ashes, the oil of gladness 
for mourning, and the garments of praise for the spir- 
it of heaviness. And in the time of our health and 
peace, and prosperity, O that we may remember, and 
provide for, the time of trouble and sickness, and 
death; when all worldly succors will fail us; and 
the greatest powers on earth cannot deliver us out 
of thy hands. O make us now so mindful of out 
duty that then thou may est remember in mercy ; 
and be with us and support us, and never leave nor 
forsake us. 

Our own un worthiness would make us despair of 
obtaining all these great and good things which we 
beg at thy hands, O Lord ; But the remembrance of 
thy continual bounty, and how much we are every 
day receiving from thee, puts life into our hopes, 
and encouragement into our prayers, and leaves 
us no reason to doubt of such tried mercy. 
And blessed for ever be thy name, that we have so 
much to say of thy goodness, by our own experience 
of the innumerable blessings thou art daily bestow- 
ing upon us. O good Lord ! continue such thy 



Evening Prayer for a Family. 61 

gracious favor to us, and thy fatherly care over us 
this night. As we go to rest after the labors of the 
day, so help us to do thy work that we may enter 
into that rest which remains for thy people in the 
close of this life. And so discharge us from our 
sins, and supply us still with thy grace, that we may 
finish our course with joy, and in the end of our 
lives find the greatest of all mercy, to be received 
into thy glory : Which we beg for the all-sufficient 
merits of our only Redeemer : For whom, and to 
whom, with thee, O everlasting Father, and the Holy 
Ghost the Comforter, in the unity of the ever glori- 
ous Trinity, be all praise, and honor and glory as- 
cribed of us, and of all the Israel of God, now and 
for evermore. Amen, 

A seventh Evening Prayer. 

OLORD, the great and glorious God, infinite 
in power, wisdom and goodness : the wonder- 
ful maker and preserver, ruler and disposer, of us 
and of all the world ! thou hast created all things by 
thy Almighty hand ! sustainest and orderest all that 
thou hast made by thy wise and righteous Provi- 
dence : and thy mercy is everlasting, and over all thy 
works. O who is able to express or conceive the ex- 
ceeding riches of that grace and goodness of the Lord, 
which in such a plentiful measure is still descending 
and overflowing upon poor sinful creatures, who de- 
serve nothing from thee but to be forsaken and abhor- 
red by thee ! This day, and every day of our lives, O 
Lord, we have tasted largely of thy mercy, and lived 
altogether still upon thy fatherly care and bounty. 

But notwithstanding all thy patience and gracious 
dealings with us, and all the repeated pledges of thy 
favor and kindness to us ; O how ill have we requi . 
F 



62 Evening Prayer for a Family* 

ted thy love ! And what unsuitable returns have we 
made for all thy great and continued goodness that 
we have found ! Beside the guilt of our inbred cor- 
ruption, which, as a sore clog, hangs heavy upon 
us : we are amazed at the greatness and multitude 
of all our other sins that we have committed against 
the light and teachings of thy gospel, against the dic- 
tates and strivings of thy Spirit, and the love and 
sufferings of thy Son : against all the patience and 
long forbearance which thou hast exercised towards 
us : and against the many mercies and methods of 
our conversion and sanctification, wherewith from 
time to time, thou hast sought to make us such as 
thy word requires we should be. O Lord, we have 
given thee so great provocation, that we are afraid lest 
thou shouldst forsake us utterly, and cause the day 
of thy patience to be at an end with us, and grant 
us no more of thy grace which we have so greatly 
abused, no more of thy holy Spirit, which we have 
so frequently refused. And what have we now but 
judgment to expect from thee, O Lord, but that thy 
mercy rejoices over judgment! And thy word as- 
sures us, that thou delightest not in the death of sin- 
ners, but rather that they should turn to thee and 
live. Therefore still thou leavest us these opportu- 
nities to appear before thee, to plead with our God, 
for the life of souls that have sinned against 
thee. And what have wo to plead, O blessed Lord, 
but thy own gracious nature, and merciful inclina- 
tions, and the many promises and declarations of 
thyself which thou hast made to returning sinners in 
Jesus Christ ! Thou hast sent thine only Son to be 
our only Saviour : And he that did no sin was ma- 
nifested to take away our sins. O for his sake be 
thou pleased to pity us, and spare us, and forgive 
us. Turn away thy wrath from us : receive us to 



Evening Prayer for a Family. 63 

thy blessed favor ; and comfort us with the sure 
persuasion, that our great and many sins are remit- 
ted. 

And because such is the infirmity of our nature, 
that without thy grace we have not the least power 
to keep ourselves even from the greatest sins ; O 
grant us the increase of thy grace, and such help of 
thy good Spirit, as may fortify us against all temp- 
tation, and make us willing and faithful, and diligent 
in thy service. And be pleased, O Lord, yet : fur- 
ther to discover and manifest thyself to our souls, 
that we may know aright thee, the only true God, 
and Jesus Christ whom thou hast sent,. And give us 
power from on high to enable us so to live and 
practise, according to that light and knowledge of 
our duty which thou art pleased to impart unto us, 
that we may not hold the truth in unrighteousness, 
knowing the better, and doing the worse, but may 
walk in the light, as children of light, while we have 
it; that we may never in judgment-, be deprived of 
it. O let us not only be almost, but altogether 
Christians: sincere converts, true penitents, and 
sound believers* And wilt thou, O God, that work- 
est all in all, do that work of thy grace, thoroughly 
upon all our hearts ; for which we may have cause 
to give thee praise and glory to all eternity. 

Which things we beg not only for ourselves, "but 
for all the partakers of our nature, whom thou hast 
made to share in our hopes and capacities of eternal 
happiness ,;; especially for thy whole church, where- 
soever or howsoever disposed of over all the earth : 
For alt in authority from the highest even to the 
lowest : For our ministers and teachers : For our 
relations and neighbors ; our friends and benefac- 
tors : And for all thy afflicted, whatsoever be their 
trials and troubles. Q supply all their wants, and 



64 Morning Prayer for the Lord's Day. 

fulfil all their desires, so as thy wisdom sees best, 
for thy own mercy's sake in Jesus Christ. 

Thou, Lord, art the great Preserver of men, who 
hast kept and blessed us to-day, and all our days. 
Praised be thy name for all thy goodness, which we 
so long and largely have experienced. O make us 
sensible and thankful, as we are obliged to be. Take 
care of us, O Lord, and be good to us this night. 
Give us bodily rest in our beds, and rest for our 
souls in thyself. And be thou our God and guide, 
our hope and help, our joy and comfort, and all in 
all to us this night, and for evermore. Amen. 

Morning Prayer for the Lord's Day. 

OMOST blessed and gracious Lord our God, 
whose Almighty hand has brought us out of 
nothing, to what we are ; to see the light, and enjoy 
the comforts of life : And whose free grace has call- 
ed us out of a state worse than nothing to the hope 
of thy heavenly glory ! We bless thy name, that 
thou hast conducted us safe, through all states and 
events, and through all the trials and troubles in our 
lives, to see the comfortable light of this day : and 
that we have yet a day of grace wherein to see the 
things belonging to our peace. We bless thee that 
thou hast so far consulted the good of our souls, as 
well as the glory of thy name, in setting apart this 
6 \y for holy uses, to engage us to a solemn attend- 
ee upon the Lord : in whose service consists all 
^.., ' ^nor and happiness. O how much higher might 
w T e have been in grace, and thy blessed favor — how 
much nearer to thee our God, and fitter for thy hea- 
venly kingdom, had we rightly used, and conscien- 
tiously improved those seasons and means of grace, 
which thou hast been pleased to put into our hands, 
for the best advantage of our souls. 



Morning Prayer for the Lord's Day. 65' 

But we have been unkind and cruel to our own 
souls, as well as disobedient and rebellious against 
our Lord ; many times frustrating the opportunities 
of appearing before thee ; shunning and neglecting 
the duties of thy holy service : And even when we 
have set ourselves to seek thy face, it has been with 
such coldness and dulness, rudeness and distractions, 
that thou mightest justly abhor our souls, despise 
our prayers, and cast back all our services in our fa- 
ces, for any thing that there is in us or them, to re- 
commend us to thy blessed favor and acceptance. 

But be thou pleased to look upon us in the Son 
of thy love, the Lord our peace and righteousness ; 
and forgive us all that is past wherein we have ne- 
glected thy work, or ill -performed it, or done what 
is inconsistent with it* Help us, O God of our sal- 
vation, and deliver us from die bands and the bur- 
then of our guilt ; and purge away all our sins, for 
the glory of thy name : That they may not stand as 
a partition- wall, to hinder the desire of our souls from 
ascending up to thee ; nor hinder the light of thy 
countenance from descending upon us. But let thy 
peace, and love, and favor shine on our souls ; that 
we may see the felicity of thy chosen, and with joy 
draw water out of the wells of salvation. 

O let us not rest in any forms of godliness, deny- 
ing the power thereof ;~ nor take up with the name 
and shew, and the profession of Christianity, but be 
swayed with its life, and power and spirit : that the 
gospel of our Lord, and the graces of the good Spi- 
rit of God, may shine forth in our lives, to the glory 
of thee our heavenly Father ; and to the adorning 
of the doctrine of God our Saviour in all things. O 
gracious God, be with us, and with all the ministers 
and stewards of thy holy "things, who are this day to 
speak thy word to thy people ; and furnish them 
F 2 



66 Morning Prayer for the Lord's Day. 

with abilities suitable to their great work, that they 
may fitly apply themselves to the capacities, and to 
the necessities of their several hearers. And grant, 
Lord, unto us, and unto all the hearers of thy holy 
word, humble and teachable spirits ; to receive thy 
truth in meekness, and in the love of it, so as to pro- 
fit and grow by it. O do thou remove all the hin- 
drances of our spiritual growth and improvement, 
that thy word may have free course and be glorified 
among us. And let us this day go forth in the 
strength of the Lord God ; and prosper and in- 
crease with the increase of God, by thy grace and 
blessing accompanying our desires and endeavors ; 
till from serving thee imperfectly here upon earth, 
we may attain to glorify and enjoy thee our God, 
in the perfection of holiness, and in those everlast- 
ing joys and glories of thy kingdom, which thou 
hast prepared for them that love thee. 

And let thy grace and blessing, thy love and fel- 
lowship, thy direction and assistance, O heavenly 
Father, Son and Holy Spirit, be with us and with all 
whom we ought to beg thy mercy for in our pray- 
ers, this day, and for evermore. Amen. 

Another Morning Prayer for the Lord's Day. 

OLORD, the great Almighty God, thou art 
the giver of life and strength, and of all grace 
and goodness ; without whom we can do nothing ; 
and through whose gracious assistance it is, that Ave 
are enabled to do all things belonging to thy service 
and our duty : We humbly pray, that thou wilt be 
graciously present with us, and powerfully assistant 
unto us this d*y, to direct and quicken, and enable, 
and further us in all the ways and duties of thy holy 
service. O forgive our iniquities, that separate be- 



Morning Prayer for the Lord's Day. 67 

tween thee and our souls ; and remember not the 
sins against us, which may justly provoke thee to 
hide thy face from us. But according to thy mercy, 
remember thou us, O Lord, and accept us, and our 
poor imperfect services, for the sake of Jesus Christ. 
O leave us not to the dulness and hardness, the 
vanity and deceitfulness of our own depraved hearts : 
but shew the power of thy heavenly grace, in work- 
ing mightily upon these hearts of ours : to bring 
and keep them in such a holy frame, that we may 
be fitter to attend upon thee, and perform more 
faithful and acceptable service to thee, and enjoy 
more of that heavenly communion with thee, which 
thou hast made us capable of; and which our souls 
will be for ever restless without. O let us not serve 
thtt in formality and hypocrisy, making any duties 
of course the cover of a vain licentious life : But let 
our hearts and souls, and all that is within us, be 
taken up in a revered, faithful and affectionate at- 
tendance upon thee. Nor let us serve thee of con- 
straint, only because we must ; but with all readi- 
ness and gladness, and love and delight to be so en- 
gaged : Making thy pleasure to be ours, and the 
Sabbath and service of our Lord, the joy and solace 
of our souls. O help us so to sanctify thy day, that 
thy day may be a means to promote the sanctifica- 
tion of our souls, Let us bestow ourselves in exer- 
cises befitting the holy season ;. and not profane it 
to any vain and vicious purposes. But on the Lord's 
day may we abound in the work of the Lord ; and 
not do our own work, nor find our own pleasure, 
nor speak our own words, in the day which thou 
hast hallowed for thyself ; But rest from all our sin- 
ful ways, as well as from our common labors : and 
so delight ourselves in the Lord, that thou may est 
give us the desires of our hearts. 



83' Morning Prayer for the LorcPs Day. 

And bless to us thy word, O gracious Father, and 
all the means of grace, which through thy favor we 
do enjoy, that we may not use the same in vain, nor 
to our hurt: but for the farther informing of our 
minds, the reforming of our lives, and the saving of 
our souls ; still growing in grace, and in the know- 
ledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ ; till we 
attain to be such as thy holy word requires we should 
be, in all holy conversation and godliness. 

Great peace have they that love thy law, and noth- 
ing shall offend them. O dear Lord, increase our 
love to thy word, which the angels desire to look 
into, and make our souls pliable and submissive, to 
be turned and ruled by it, till we become in all 
things agreeable to it. 

Bless us, our Father, and command a blessing up- 
on all our pious designs and performances this day : 
and bless thy servants whom thou hast appointed to 
bless us in thy name, and to break the bread of life 
to our souls, that they may speak thy word as they 
ought to speak : and give to every one their portion 
in due season. And that thy word, which they de- 
liver, may be to our conviction, edification, and com- 
fort, and the savor of life to our souls. O thou that 
hast the key of David, and openest and no man shut- 
est, thou that speakest to the heart, and givest the 
increase ; open to our understandings to receive thy 
truth, both in the light, and in the love of it. And 
set it home so powerfully upon our hearts, and root 
it so deep in our souls, that the fruits may be seen 
in our lives : We being not forgetful hearers but 
faithful doers of thy word. 

And grant, O good God, that our services this 
day may be such, as may tend to our advantage and 
rejoicing, in the great day of thy appearing and glo- 
ry : That we may so hallow these Sabbaths here 



Evening Prayer for the Lord's Day. 69 

upon earth, that hereafter we may be admitted to 
the joyful celebration of the eternal Sabbatism in thy 
kingdom of heaven : there with all the church tri- 
umphant, to laud and magnify thy glorious name, 
and to enjoy thy love, and sing thy praise for ever. 
And for the addition of this Sabbath to all the rest, 
for the benefit of thy word, and the ordinances of 
thy worship, and all the means of grace, and hopes 
of thy eternal glory, to thee, the God of all grace, be 
the praise, and honor, and glory rendered by us, 
and by all thine, and from this time forth, and for 
evermore. Amen, 

Evening Prayer for the Lord's Day. 

OLORD, our God ! thou art infinitely good ? 
and thou hast shewed us what is good, and 
what thou requirest of us for our own greatest good 
always ; that it may go well with us, both now, and 
to all eternity. Thou sendest out thy light and thy 
truth amongst us, to make the way of life and salva- 
tion plain before us ; and thou givest us many op- 
portunities and advantages to quicken and further 
us in thy knowledge and service, and in that way of 
our duty which leads to the kingdom of thy glory. 
We have line upon line, and precept upon precept i 
thy messengers early and late, to open and apply thy 
word ; and to give us calls and warnings, directions 
and exhortations, for the promoting of our edification 
here, and our salvation for ever. Thou hast not 
been wanting to us, O Lord, but we have been 
exceedingly wanting to ourselves, and to the du- 
ty which we owe unto our God ! And O how 
little is it to be seen in our lives, how good and kind 
the Lord has been to our souls ! How have we lov- 
ed darkness rather than light, and chose to follow the 



70 Evening Prayer for the Lord's Day* 

suggestions of our own foolish and hurtful lusts, 
rather than to be guided by the rules and prescrip- 
tions of thy holy blessed word, that has no" design 
upon us, but to promote our present peace and our 
eternal bliss ! And, because we have so little improv- 
ed all the precious talents which thou hast put in- 
to our hands, thou mightest, O Lord, justly take 
away the gospel of thy kingdom from us, and give 
it to another people, that would bring forth fruits 
more worthy of it, and more answerable to it, than 
we have done. Because thou hast called, and we 
have refused ; thou hast stretched forth thy hands, 
but we have not regarded ; thou mightest therefore 
leave us to our own perverseness and impenitence, to 
add sin unto sin, till our iniquities became our ruin. 

But, O Lord God, merciful and long- suffering ! 
we humbly beseech thee that thou wilt not so enter 
into judgment with thy servants : but in mercy par- 
don all our contempt of thy word y and our not profit- 
ing by it, and all the means of grace that we have 
had. And teach and help us for the time to come, 
better to use and improve such gracious opportuni- 
ties set before us, to the glory of thy name, and the 
true benefit of our souls. As the rain descends from 
heaven and returns not thither, but waters the earth, 
and makes it fruitful, so let not thy word return un- 
to thee void ; but accomplish thy good pleasure, 
and prosper in that whereunto thou art pleased to 
send it. O make it instrumental and effectual to 
work thy grace, where it is not : and to establish 
and increase it, where it is ; to edify and build us 
all up in the true fear and love of God, and in the 
right knowledge and faith of our Lord Jesus Christ, 

And though we cannot now find, upon the re- 
view of our services this day, that we have duly 
kept a day holy to the Lord ; yet let not thy day, G~ 



Evening Prayer for the Lord's Bay. 71 

gracious God, be a lost day to us, nor thy word as 
water spilt on the ground : but may the Spirit cause 
thy word to do thy great and gracious work tho- 
roughly and successfully upon all our hearts ; for 
which we may have cause to give thee praise and 
glory to all eternity. And as we perceive how we 
ought to walk, and to please thee our God, so help 
us to walk more worthy of the Lord, unto all well- 
pleasing ; increasing in thy saving knowledge : and 
being still more ready to, and more rich and fruitful 
in every good work, that is pleasing in thy sight 
through Jesus Christ. 

At his hands, O Lord our God, we beg thy gra- 
cious acceptance of our humble returns of praise and 
thanksgiving, for all the blessings and favors spiritual 
and temporal, so freely conferred upon us, and so 
long vouchsafed and continued to us, even through- 
out our whole lives, until this present time. Thou 
has dealt graciously with us, O blessed Lord, and 
been exceedingly good and kind to us, not only be- 
yond all that we had reason to expect from thee ; but 
above all that we are able to express here before 
thee. We bless thy name our heavenly Father, 
that in so many respects thou hast made us to dif- 
fer from multitudes in the world .; who are destitute 
of those comforts and conveniences of this life, and 
means and hopes of a better, which through thy fa- 
vor to us we do enjoy. We acknowledge thee in 
all ; and we desire to ascribe unto thee the whole 
praise and glory of all. Especially our souls de- 
sire to bless thee for the mercies of all mercies, 
which thou hast shewed, and still art pleased to con- 
tinue to our souls ; particularly what we have receiv- 
ed and experienced this day ; thy house open to us ; 
the word of salvation sounding in our ears, and the 
Spirit of God striving with our hearts ; and helping 



72 Evening Prayer for the Lord's Day. 

our infirmities, and enlightening our minds, and re- 
viving our souls. 

O that we may not receive the grace of God in 
vain ; that all thy mercies may not be lost upon us : 
but that we may better answer the care and kindness 
of heaven, which we have so long and largely expe- 
rienced, and that we may so thankfully receive and 
carefully improve thy distinguishing favors to us, 
and all thy bountiful dealings with us ; that thou 
mayest not withdraw thy tender mercies from us, 
but still continue thy accustomed goodness to us, 
and increase thy grace and heavenly blessings upon 
us, and rejoice over us to do us good. 

In mercy pass by all which in thy most pure and 
holy eyes, from which nothing is hid, have been amiss 
this day past, in any of our thoughts, desires, expres- 
sions or actions. O pardon our neglect of what we 
should have done, and cur guilt of what we have 
misdone. Forgive the iniquities of our holy things : 
and enter not into judgment with us, even accord- 
ing to the best of our works and services ; but over- 
look all our sins and failings, and imperfections, 
through our great Mediator and Redeemer ; who 
does appear in the presence of God in our behalf, and 
ever lives at thy right hand, to make intercession 
for us. And for Jesus Christ, the blessed Author 
of all our hopes and happiness, and for all the com- 
forts and good things of this life, and means and 
expectations of that eternal glorious life to come, 
which thou art pleased to give us, together with him ; 
not unto us, O Lord, not unto us, but unto thy 
name be all the praise, and honor, and glory, humbly 
and heartily rendered and ascribed of us, and of all 
thy church, now and for evermore. Amen. 



Evening Prayer for the Lord's Day. 73 

Another Evening Prayer for the Lord's Day. 

LORD, thou art good to the soul that seeks 
thee ; thou art full of invitation, and all the 
endearments of love, to draw and encourage poor 
sinners to come unto thee. Thou dost not bid us 
seek thy face in vain, nor serve thee for nought ; but 
art a Lord, that hath pleasure in the prosperity of 
thy servants, and payest us riot according to our 
poor imperfect services, but givest like thyself, in- 
finitely good and most rich in mercy : the gift of 
God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord. 
It is not any thing in thy laws, O gracious Lord, 
but the sinfulness of our depraved nature, that makes 
any of them seem grievous to us, which are all holy, 
and just, and good, tending to promote our present 
and eternal happiness. Nor is it any thing in thy 
blessed service, but the indisposedness of our own 
vile hearts, that makes any part of that tedious to us, 
which is the work and joy of angels, and our wis- 
dom, honor and interest ; yea, what we may make our 
delight, as well as our duty, to perform. Holy God, 
we are all as an unclean thing, and all our very right- 
eousnesses are as filthy rags : nor can we ever hope to 
be justified in thy sight, upon account of any works 
or worth of our own : for by our own hearts and 
deeds we are reproved and condemned, and should 
be left speechless in thy judgment, if thou, O Lord, 
shpuldst call us to account, according to the merits 
even of our best services. But we desire to take 
refuge and sanctuary under the shadow of our cru- 
cified Saviour ; and to be found in him, not having 
our own righteousness, but that which is by the faith 
of Jesus Christ, that the- shame of our nakedness 
may be covered, and all our sinful deformities hid 
G 



74 Evening Prayer fcr the Lord's Day. 

from thine eyes : that thou mayest forgive us mer- 
cifully, and receive us graciously, and love us freely 
in the Son of thy love, in whom thou art well pleas- 
ed. 

Command a blessing, we pray thee, O Lord, up- 
on the word, which this day we have heard, and up- 
on all the means of grace that have been used for 
the good of our souls. It is not of him that planteth, 
nor of him that watereth, but of thee, our God, who 
giveth the increase. O be thou pleased to second 
the preaching of thy word with the powerful influen- 
ces of thy grace and holy Spirit ; that it may be the 
savor of life to our souls, and the power of God to 
our salvation. O let us so hide thy word in our 
hearts, that we may not, as we have clone, sin against 
thee, but that it may be as a treasure within us ; to 
stand us in stead, in every hour of temptation, and in 
all the times and cases of our need : That we may- 
walk more humbly and closely with our God, and 
more conscientiously and circumspectly before thee ; 
and be so obedient to the holy precepts of thy word ; 
that, finally, we may enjoy the glorious promises, of 
which it gives us the blessed reviving hopes. 

Supply the want of thy public ordinances, we be- 
seech thee, by the immediate teachings of thy good 
Spirit, to all such as through any unavoidable impe- 
diments are kept from them : And continue to us, 
O gracious Lord, the light of thy gospel, and all 
the happy opportunities, which we enjoy for our 
souls' advantage. And preserve us also, by thy grace, 
from the curse of barrenness, under all thy holy 
means, and abundant mercies ; fork were better for 
us we never had them, if we were not the better for 
them. That they may not, therefore, hereafter rise 
up in judgment against us, O make them now effi- 
cacious to us : and write thy laws in our hearts, and 



Evening Prayer for the Lord's Day. 75 

cause them to accomplish all the purposes of thy 
grace in our souls, and to shine forth with a convinc- 
ing splendor in our lives ; to make us every way 
such as thou would st have us. 

And, now we give thanks, as we are infinitely 
bound, to thee, O Lord God, our heavenly Father, 
for the mercies of this day ; and for thy great mer- 
cy and goodness that has hitherto followed us all 
the days of our lives. O how wonderful is thy pa- 
tience and long-suffering, that thou shouldst all day 
long stretch forth thy hands to a rebellious and gain- 
saying people ! And how Unwearied thy kindness 
and love, that we still enjoy so many comforts with 
our lives, who have taken the course to spoil all with 
our sins ! Yea, that thou shouldst not withhold the 
greatest mercies from such as cannot pretend to de- 
serve the least at thy hands ! Blessed be thy name, 
O most merciful Father, that thou hast defended us 
from so many dangers in our lives, which threatened 
to destroy us ; and delivered us out of so many trou- 
bles, under which we should have sunk and perished, 
.if thou hadst*not been nigh to us, and done great 
things for us. We bless thee for our health and plen- 
ty, peace and liberty; for the use of our reason, 
limbs and senses, and for the comforts of all thy 
good creatures ; for the kindness of friends, and 
safety from our enemies ; for the benefits and re- 
freshments of society, and the success and prosperi- 
ty of our affairs here in the world. But above all, we 
bless thee for the mercies and blessings relating to 
the world to come ; for Jesus Christ, and ail spiritu- 
al blessings in heavenly things in him, tending to the 
salvation of our souls : for remembering us in our 
low estate, and sending eternal redemption to us by 
the hands of thy dear Sou ; for the light and direc- 
tion of thy word ; for the teachings and strivings, 



76 Evening Prayer for the Lord's Day. 

the aids and consolations of thy Spirit ; for all the 
means and helps which we have to do us good ; for all 
thy grace wrought in us, and bestowed upon us ; 
and for all the discoveries and hopes of eternai glory 
which thou hast given to us. O how infinitely in- 
debted are we to the kindness and love of God our 
Saviour ! O that we may ever be sensible and thank- 
ful as we ought ! And with all that thou hast given 
us, blessed God, give us hearts filled with thy love, 
and lifted up in thy praise, and devoted to thy honor 
and service. 

We can but acknowledge the vast debt, that we 
are never able to pay. We cannot praise thee ac- 
cording to the riches of thy grace, and the mul- 
titude of thy mercies ; but we desire to bless and 
praise thee, with all the capacities and abilities where- 
with thou hast blessed us. And help us, O Lord our 
God, to glorify thy name, not only in speaking to 
thy praise, but so entirely devoting ourselves to thy 
pleasure, that we may be thine in faithfulness, and in 
the sincerity of our hearts, even all the days of our 
lives. 

O make us truly penitent and humbled for all 
which this day we have done amiss, and make us 
unfeignedly thankful for all the good that we have re- 
ceived ; and for all which thou hast, in any manner or 
measure, enabled us to do aright. The evil is from 
ourselves alone, and to us belong shame and confu- 
sion of face for it : but all the good is of thy free 
grace, and thy mere mercy : and to thy blessed name 
O Lord our God, be all the praise and glory render- 
ed, with the most sensible and grateful hearts, now 
and for evermore. Amen. 



[ 77 ] 

A Prayer for any intermediate Time of the 
Lord's Day. 

OLORD, the God of glory ! thou fittest heaven 
and earth with thy presence, fill my heart, I 
pray thee, with thy grace, and the mindfulness of 
thy presence with me : that I may demean myself, as 
under thy awful eyes, and ever manifest in thy ho- 
ly sight, who art cheerfully and constantly worship- 
. pedand attended by all the heavenly host of glorious 
angels, and immortal spirits above, where thousand 
thousands minister unto thee, and ten thousand times 
ten thousand stand before thee. O happy are they 
who are ever in thy blessed presence, and still ta- 
ken up in the joyful contemplation and fruition of 
thee, and the things above j who have an everlasting 
period put to all their sins, and troubles and tempta- 
tions here below ; and have their souls full of holi- 
ness, their hearts filled with joy, and their mouths 
with the everlasting praises of God. O Lord, look 
down from heaven, the habitation of thy holiness, 
and the throne of thy glory, and behold with pity 
the poor remnant of thy heritage, who are yet upon 
our warfare and pilgrimage in this present evil world ; 
beset with many and mighty malicious enemies of 
our ■souls, and groaning for deliverance from the 
bondage of corruption, that we may be brought into 
the glorious liberty of the children of God. 

The good Lord pardon every one of us, that now 
endeavor to prepare and set ourselves to seek thy face, 
and to meet and enjoy our God in the ordinances of 
thy worship : though we be not cleansed according to 
the purification of the sanctuary, accept us in thy 
beloved Son, according to* what we have, and fill us 
with thy good Spirit, to make us what we would be. 
G 2 



78 A Prayer for the Lord's Bay. 

give me a devout soul, and a praying heart ; that 

1 may not merely go over the words of prayer, or 
rest in any forms of godliness ; but may serve thee 
with my spirit, and lift up my heart to the Lord, 
and, as much as is possible, converse above. 

It is good for men to draw nigh to God ; in whose 
service consists all our honor and bliss. O let my heart 
-rejoice in seeking the Lord ; and with great liveli- 
ness, and love, and cheerfulness, let me frequent thy 
ways, and study thy words, and admire thy works, 
and praise thy name. I bless thee, my God, that 
thou hasc given me an understanding to know thee, 
a heart to love thee, and a soul capable of waiting up- 
on thee in the duties of thy holy immediate service 
here and capable of enjoying thee in thy eternal hea- 
venly glory hereafter. I bless thee for all opportuni- 
ties and advantages which I have to serve thee, and to 
work out my salvation ; for the ministry of recon- 
ciliation committed to thy servants, for all their la- 
bors and writings and preachings ; and for all other 
means of grace and helps heaven-ward. 

O give me also such a love to thy w T 6rd, that I may 
value it above all the wealth of the world, and relish 
it better than all the pleasures of the flesh ; esteem- 
ing the words of thy mouth more than my necessa- 
ry food : And receiving it, not only in the light but 
in the love of it, that I may be saved. And give me, 
Lord, a heart to fear thee, and keep thy command- 
ments always, that it may go well with me both now 
and for ever. O let me so make thy word the rule 
of my life, that it may also be the ground of my hope : 
and while it is sounding in my ears, O be thou also 
teaching my heart to make it efficacious and saving to 
my soul. And let there be such a transcript of the 
gospel in my life, that I may not only hear what it 
says/but be such as it describes. O gracious God ! 



A Prayer upon the Commandments. 79 

continue the light and joyful sound of thy gospel 
amongst us : And help us so rightly to use it, and to 
make our due benefit of it, that we may find cause to 
bless and praise thee for it. O that every Sabbath 
may add still to our stature in Christ Jesus ; and 
that we may so sanctify thy Sabbaths now while we 
are on the way, that in the end we may attain to the 
blessed Sabbath of thy everlasting rest : There to 
live in the sight and love, and in the enjoyment and 
praises of thee our God, blessed for evermore. 
Amen. 

A Confession of the Sins forbidden, with Prayer for 
Grace to perform the Duties enjoined in the Com- 
mandments: Preparatory to the Sacrament, or at 
any Time of Humiliation. 

OLORD, the great and glorious God ! against 
whom I have grievously offended : and who, 
for my sins art justly displeased : I know not where 
to begin or end with the rehearsal of all my trans- 
gressions ; which are more than I can remember, 
and greater than I can express. 

Thou art God alone, and there is none beside 
thee, that hast absolute sovereignty over me, and 
that can be full and iinal^ happiness to me. But, O 
Lord my God ; other lords besides thee have had 
dominion over me. I have idolized things in my- 
self, and in this present world ; and have set them 
in the stead of God ; either disbelieving thy being, 
or forgetting thy presence, or disliking to retain thee 
in my thoughts ; and living without thee in the 
world. I have not improved in thy knowledge, an- 
swerable to the means of instruction wherewith thou 
hast blessed me. And that I have no more and bet- 
ter knowledge of God, it is my shame, and owing 
to my sinful dulness and negligence in that which 



80 A Prayer upon the Commandments* 

•does most of all concern me. I have not had all my 
expectations from thee, nor my whole dependence 
upon thee, nor my chief hope and delight in thee : 
but have stuck and trusted to creature comforts and 
worldly enjoyments: things short of thee, my God, 
to make me happy. O how have I hardened my heart 
against the fear of thy glorious Majesty ; who can, 
whenever thou pleasest, kill and cast sinners into 
hell ! Making bold to sin against the clear light which 
thou hast caused to shine upon me \ And how have 
I shut my heart against the love of my chiefest good ; 
who has still been doing me good, and laying fresh 
obligations upon me, with thy renewed favor, every 
day ! Loving the creatures and any sensual pleasures 
more than the God blessed for ever. 

I have conceived injurious, unbecoming thoughts 
of thy infinite greatness and goodness, till I have 
become vain and wicked in my imaginations ; think- 
ing the most high and glorious God to be even such 
an one as myself.* And instead of worshipping thee 
in spirit and in truth, it has been after my own fan- 
cy and humor, in a formal customary manner. 

O what light account have I made of thy great 
name ! and what little zeal have I shewed for thy 
honor and glory ! How have I disregarded thy word 
and works, thy mercies and judgments, thy calls and 
warnings, and all thy offers and invitations ; and ei- 
ther neglected the offices of thy worship, or profan- 
ed thy holy things, and abused religious duties, to 
cover my own oiTences : drawing nigh to thee with 
my mouth, when my heart has been far from thee. 

Thy day I have not remembered as I ought, to 
keep it holy : but have used as common, what thou 
hast set apart for sacred ; and borne the holy season 
as a burden, and made bold with thy hallowed time, 
to spend it upon my sloth and lusts ; and wordiy trifles 
and carnal impertinences. 



A Prayer upon the Commandments. 81 

O how have I failed and sinned in all my rela- 
tions. As a superior, in pride and vanity ; as an in- 
ferior, in stubborness and envy : as a parent and 
child, master and servant, friend and neighbor : not 
discharging my duty in any capacity as I ought. 

How careless have I been of my own and others' 
souls ! how passionate and unmerciful, contentious s 
and revengeful ! Bitter in my words, malicious in 
my heart, tempting some into soul-ruining sins; 
and not doing what in me lies, to keep others from 
the wicked undoing of themselves ; not exerting my 
desires and endeavors to do good unto all. 

Lord, I am unclean, unclean ! defiled with fil- 
thy imaginations rolling in my head, and lustful de- 
sires harboring in my heart, and breaking out in cor- 
rupt communication, and carnal carriage, and intem- 
perate living after the flesh. Yea, I have been guilty 
of the spiritual whoredom, in forsaking the blessed 
bridegroom of my soul, to cleave to lying vanities v 
and to keep up that friendship with the world, which 
is enmity with God. 

1 have been unfaithful in the unrighteous mam- 
mon, and not honored thee with my substance^ 
nor done the good which thou hast made me capa- 
ble of doing, with the world's good ; but by idle- 
ness and injurious intrenching on the rights of oth- 
ers, or by profuse consuming my portion on my 
own lusts, I have been a sacrilegious usurper of thy 
good creatures. 

O what vicious liberties have I taken to myself, 
in speaking evil of my neighbors: Using them in 
my words, as I w r ould ill resent to be used : slan- 
dering and reviling, dissembling or rash judging : 
and often wronging the truth, to avenge, to excuse 3 
to exalt myself. 

O what a nursery of covetous and carnal desires^ 



82 A Prayer upon the Commandments. 

has been this corrupt and wicked heart of mine ! 
Cherishing and delighting in evil motions ; repining 
at others' welfare : coveting all to myself, and cater- 
ing only for the flesh, to fulfil its lusts. 

Such sins I have committed against thy holy law : 
and I have also sinned against thy gracious gospel, 
O Lord ; not acquainting myself with the way of 
salvation by Jesus Christ : but neglecting so great - 
salvation ; and disregarding the only Saviour, whom 
to know and win, I should have accounted all things 
else but loss and dung. I have not been awed by 
thy threatening^, nor taken with thy promises ; nor 
listened to the calls of thy word, nor yielded to the 
motions of thy Spirit ; nor believed the truths nor 
loved the days, nor plied the means, nor improved 
the opportunities, which thou hast graciously set be- 
fore me : but have shut my eyes against the things 
of my peace ; and made light of all my Saviour's 
doings and sufferings, and various methods for the 
salvation of my soul : taking pleasure in the enemies 
of his cross : little concerned for the success of his 
gospel ; nor laying to heart my own or others' sins ; 
nor seriously repenting, nor fervently praying ; but 
doing all these tilings, as if I did them not. 

Such is my heavy charge : this is my heinous 
guilt : O that I may not only confess it, bqt be duly 
humbled for it ! And lay my mouth in the dust, if 
so be that yet there may be hope \ And is there hope 
for such a great and provoking sinner ? Lord of 
love, thou hast helped many poor miserable souls in 
a low dangerous case : and many, I believe, are now 
triumphing and praising thee in glory, who much 
and long rebelled against thee here below. Such are 
the wonders of thy grace, to get thee glory in seek- 
ing and saving that which was lost. And thy hand 
is not shortened ; nor thy mercy abated : but stiff 



A Prayer upon the Commandments. 83 

thou art able and ready to help and save, as ever thou 
wast. O put me in the way where all thy goodness 
may pass before me : and help me to exercise such 
humiliation and repentance in thy sight, that thou 
mayest exercise thy pardoning and saving mercy up- 
on my soul ; and never lay my sins to my charge, 
but upon his account who was made sin for us, 
though he knew no sin, that we might be made the 
righteousness of God in him. 

Nor do I only beg for pardon of sin, but also for 
power against it. That thy preventing may dash 
and break temptations in the first approach ; and thy 
assisting grace enable me to resist in the assault, 
and to overcome in the issue. That I may never 
fall a miserable prey to the cruel adversary who 
walks about as a roaring lion, seeking whom to de- 
vour. And turn my feet, O Lord, to thy testimo- 
nies ; and help me, with an enlarged heart, to run 
the way of thy commands. O give me grace to take 
and choose thee for my God ; and to know, and trust, 
and fear, and love, and serve, and worship thee as 
God. Give me a true reverence for thy name, zeal 
for thy glory ; serious devotion and constancy, in all 
the duties of thy holy religion ; conscientious care of 
the sanctification of thy day, and due veneration and 
affection for all thy holy things. 

Help me also, my God, rightly to discharge all 
relative duties, that I owe to superiors, equals, infe- 
riors, and ail with whom I have my conversation in 
thew r orld: that I may give no just offence to any, 
but so carry towards every one, as to credit my holy 
profession, and win others into the love of it. O 
make me careful of my own, and of others' souls; 
peaceable and patient, merciful and kind; desirous 
of, and what in me lies, endeavoring to promote the 
good of all: so loving my neighbor as myself. O 



84 A Prayer upon the Commandments. 

make me chaste and continent, pure in heart, sober 
and modest in speech and carriage ; temperate in 
the use of thy good creatures ; given to prayer, and 
ail the exercises of godliness, that tend to mortify 
the sinful lusts of the flesh. Make me also faithful 
in the unrighteous mammon, I with my 

portion, industrious in my calling, upright in my 
dealing, honoring thee with my substance ; and do- 
ing good, and not hurt, with what thou hast given 
me of the world's good. Help me, O righteous 
God, still to love and own, to confess and maintain 
the truth : candidly to interpret the sayings and do- 
ings of others ; not delighting in their shame, but be- 
ing as tender of their reputation, as I would desire 
they should be of mine* And help me, O my Lord, 
to resist the beginnings and first risings of evil mo- 
tions in my mind ; and to keep my heart with all di- 
ligence, from giving any harbor there to covetous 
and unclean desires. O let me not give my mind 
to earthly things ; nor be carnally minded, which is 
death ; but spiritually minded, which is life and 
peace. And incline my heart, O good God, to me- 
ditate and love, and keep thy holy laws. 

O make me resolved for, and in love with, a life 
of holiness, according to thy blessed will and word. 
And let me not only think and purpose to live godly 
in Christ Jesus, but bring my purposes into actions, 
my actions into habits, and my habits into a holy 
lasting perseverance ; enduring so to the end, that I 
may be saved. And through the ways of thy holy 
commands, O Lord, lead me to the joys of thy hea- 
venly kingdom : that having my fruit unto holiness, 
I may find the end everlasting life, through Jesus 
Christ our Lord. Amen. 



[ 85 ] 

A Prayer before the Sacrament of the Lord's 
Supper. 

OWhat am I, poor, unworthy, sinful wretch, 
that I should go to the table of the Lord, and 
put myself on, for the portion of his saints ! Great 
God ! my guilt, and shame and fear, do pull me 
back, and make me ready to conclude it presump- 
tuous and vain for me, ever to expect such high hon- 
or and favor from thee ; after I have so foully mis- 
behaved myself towards thee. I durst not think of 
making so near approaches to thy holy Majesty, but 
that thou art pleased to invite and command us so 
to do. Nor could I ever hope for such heavenly 
blessings at thy hands, O Lord, but that thou art so 
infinitely good and kind, even to such as deserve no- 
thing from thee ! but to be forsaken and abhorred 
by thee. Instead of stretching forth a sceptre of 
mercy, to invite me to thy table ; thou mightest with 
the rod of thy wrath, dash me in pieces as a potter's 
vessel : and instead of entertaining me with the bread 
of life, and the cup of blessing, mightest give me the 
bread and water of affliction ; and throw me down, 
where I should in vain cry out for a drop to cool my 
tongue. 

But seeing thou art pleased to call even sinners 
that have undone themselves, to come unto thee for 
help : and hast appointed this sacrament as a means 
of conveyance, to help them to pardon and grace 
that stand in need of the same ; therefore, seeing I 
do extremely need thy pardoning mercy, and thy 
sanctifying grace ; I come, Lord, though polluted 
and unfit to appear before thee : and I dare not but 
come ; as knowing that I shall be undone, keeping 
away from thee. I come not Lord, because I am 
H 



86 A Prayer before the Lord's Supper. 

worthy, but because thou art rich in mercy. I come 
as the poor starved wretch to the fire : I come as the 
hungry to be fed ; and as the sick and maimed, to 
be recovered and healed : That I may wash in the 
blood of thy Son, and be cleansed : that I may re- 
ceive of thy infinite fulness, all that is wanting in my 
wretched self; that I may so touch my Saviour, as 
to perceive virtue from him ; to heal my sinful sores, 
and to enable me for thy faithful service. 

O that I may come in the humblest manner, with 
all reverence and godly fear ; and with the most 
earnest longings after Christ Jesus ; and the hearti- 
est resolutions to live unto him, that was pleased to 
die for me ! And do thou instruct me, O Lord, and 
assist me in the examination, the humiliation, and 
preparation of myself; in order to my safe and com- 
fortable participation of this holy ordinance. Before 
I compass thy altar, wilt thou purify my heart by 
deep repentance and faith in the blood of our great 
Redeemer. O let me receive a broken and bleeding 
Saviour, w T ith a broken and contrite heart. And 
make me so willing and obedient that I may eat the 
good of the ordinance ; so conformable to thee, that 
I may find communion with thee ; and may have 
not only representation, but a participation of Christ 
crucified. O turn in, my Lord, and be not as a 
stranger to the soul that is the purchase of thy own 
blood. Enrich thy ordinance with thy presence ; 
that I may find him whom my soul desires to love, 
and whose love is better than wine : that Christ may 
appear and be known to my soul, in this breaking of 
bread : that I may receive such life from thee, as 
may enable me to live unto thee : and make me 
know, that thou abidest in me, by the Spirit which 
thou hast given me. 

Blessed Saviour ! weigh not mine, but thy own 



A Prayer before the Lord's Supper \ 87 

merits ; for I have not deserved thee, but thou hast 
redeemed me. I can never be worthy of thee, but 
give me, I beseech thee, such agreeable dispositions, 
apprehensions, affections and resolutions, in my com- 
ing to thee, that I may eat and drink worthily of 
what I am to receive from thee : that I may partici- 
pate of thy sacred body crucified, and thy precious 
blood shed for us, with such discerning, and rever- 
ence, and penitence, and faith, and love, and thank- 
fulness, as I ought to do. And what I am not in 
myself, O do thou make me, out of thy own infinite 
fulness ; such a meet receiver at thy table, that I 
may find welcome with thee, to my present conso- 
lation and my everlasting salvation. 

Q thou that hast prepared a table in this wilder*, 
ness with heavenly provisions for our souls, prepare 
my soul, dear Lord, for these provisions ; and give 
me spiritual appetite, as well as spiritual sustenance : 
that as the hart pants after the water brooks, my 
soul may pant after thee, O God : that with desire 
I may desire to eat this passover ; and so open my 
mouth, that thou mayest fill my hungry soul with 
thy good things, and so lift up the everlasting doors 
of my heart, that the King of glory may come in ; 
that Christ may dwell in my heart by faith, and 
abide with my Spirit, as long as I am to abide here 
in the flesh. 

O make thy ordinance healing, and the savor of 
life to my soul. And make it also a sealing ordi- 
nance, to clear up to me the pardon of my sins, and 
the assurance of thy love. And as thou sealest the 
covenant of grace, O let me seal the covenant of 
obedience : and in such a devout and acceptable 
manner come unto thy table, that I may return from 
it with my conscience quieted, my corruptions sub- 
dued, my graces increased, and my soul encouraged, 



88 A Prayer for Self- Resignation. 

with an enlarged heart, to run the Way of thy com- 
mands. 

Ah Lord ! to whom should I, can I repair but un- 
to thee, my life, my strength, and my Redeemer ! O 
thou that callest unto thee the laboring and heavy- 
laden sinners, help me so to come to thee, that in thee 
I may find rest for my soul. Thou that has com- 
manded us to break our bread to the hungry, O 
break the bread of life to all of us that hunger and 
thirst after righteousness : and give us, O Lord God, 
our heavenly Father, evermore give us this bread. 
And thou that art pleased still to continue to us the 
liberty and advantage of this ordinance to nourish 
and revive our souls, O work in our hearts a higher 
esteem for it, and a greater love to it. And in our 
preparations before we eat and drink at thy table, 
in our communicating there, and our conversation 
after, O teach and help us to carry beseeming the 
holy heavenly feast ; and as becomes the redeemed 
and obliged of the Lord, and the very living mem- 
bers of Jesus Christ. 

Hear me, O Lord my God, and forgive me ; 
bless and direct me, quicken and assist me in the 
work now lying upon me : and be good to me, and 
deal graciously with me ; that I may discharge all 
my offices heartily as to the Lord, and with good ac- 
ceptance in the sight of God, through the beloved 
of my soul, the only Saviour and Redeemer. Amen 9 
Amen. 

A Prayer for Grace to resign and give up our- 
selves to God. 

OMY great and glorious Maker, and Redeem- 
er, my continual preserver and keeper, my 
only Lord and owner ! thine I am every way, by all 



A Prayer for Self-Resignation. 89 

the ties of duty and love ; and not at my disposal 
to do what I will with myself: for thou hast formed 
• me for thyself, and dearly ransomed me, after I had 
lost myself. Yea, I have been solemnly devoted 
to thee, and vowed to renounce all tempters of my 
heart and service, that would rival with my blessed 
Lord : and obediently to serve thy divine pleasure, 
and to walk in thy holy ways, all the days of my life. 
And to be so true and faithful in the covenant of 
my God, is not only my obligation, but my honor 
and interest, my highest perfection, and my great- 
est bliss. 

But with confusion and remorse, I must acknowl- 
edge, O Lord, how I have sacrilegiously alienated 
myself from thee, and most foolishly and wickedly 
forsaken thee, to serve other lords ; yea, to be un- 
der the power and servitude of my own vain humors 
and brutish lusts ; not concerned so much to please 
thee, as myself: as if I were so my own, that I had 
no Lord over me, to whom belongs all the right and 
title to me. O my God ! forgive and mortify this 
wicked and pernicious selfishness in me i and let me 
no longer unjustly withhold myself from thee : nor 
madly expose myself to ruin, by living in the world 
without thee ; nor hang in a tremulous suspence be- 
tween God and mammon, vainly thinking to hold in 
with both : but make me so wise and considerate, 
not only of my duty but of my own felicity ; as wil- 
lingly and cheerfully to surrender and devote myself 
to the blessed Author of my being : that so I may 
both answer the end for which I was made, and also 
attain the happiness whereof I am capable. Seeing 
all that are far from thee shall perish, as branches 
cut from the living root that feeds them ; and I have 
no sufficiency in myself, but derive all my good 
from the union with my God : I am convinced, O 
H 2 



90 A Prayer for Self- Resignation. 

Lord, that I am thine, by thy undoubted right ; and 
that I ought to yield up myself for such, by my own 
free choice, and voluntary act. It is best for me 
so to do ; and I can never do well in standing off from 
it. O bring me to it, and make me faithful and 
Jiearty in it. 

My Lord ! break all the ties that detain me from 
thee : and seize and take me for thy own : yea, keep 
and continue me in thy fear and love to my life's 
end. And upon my mind and memory, upon my 
will and affection, upon my heart and conscience, 
O write holiness to the Lord : and every way make 
me willing wholly to be thine. Let thy will ever be 
mine in all things ; and melt down this stubborn 
will into a ready compliance with thy holy pleasure. 

let me love and hate, and joy and dislike, as thou 
dost. Let my soul and body, and all the faculties 
and powers of both, be under thy conduct, and em- 
ployed to thy glory. Let all that I am, and all that 

1 have, whatever is mine, O let it be thine ; not in 
pretence only, but in deed and in truth. And never 
let me think it hard to renounce all for thee : who 
art infinitely better than all else that ever can tempt 
me. 

O help me so sincerely to deny myself, that I may 
own no guide and ruler but my great Lord and Pro- 
prietor : that my eyes may be ever towards thee ; 
and my whole dependence upon thee ; and that thou 
mayest be all in all to me and thy word my rule, 
and to promote thy honor and pleasure, my great 
aim and endeavor : that in all things thou mayest 
ever be regarded and preferred, and glorified by me 
through Jesus Christ, Amen. 



[ 91 ] 

Some devout Ejaculations and Elevations of the 
Soul, before receiving at the Lord's Table. 

I. TJ LESSED be my God, that again is pleased 
J3 to call me to the reconciliation-feast: and 
after all my breaches with him, and all my offences 
against him, yet to grant me a new indulgence ; and 
to seal my pardon afresh in the precious blood of 
his dear Son, that was shed to take away the sins 
of the world. 

II. At thy gracious invitation, Lord, I am bold 
to come, looking for that blessed benefit, which I 
know myself so unworthy to receive; that thou 
mightest justly bar up the doors of mercy against 
me, and withhold thy saving good from me. But 
thy mercies, blessed God, are not to the deserving 
and worthy, but to the miserable and needy. O 
let me find them, as I need them ; according to the 
riches of thy bounty, and according to the great- 
ness of my necessity, 

III. I have no might for this great work : but I 
will go in thy strength, O the Lord my God. Give 
me, I beseech thee, the dispositions, which thou re- 
quirest ; and work in me, what thou callest for from 
me. O let me find thy hand upon me, thy help 
with me, and thy grace sufficient for me. 

IV. O that I may see thy power and thy glory, 
so as I have seen thee in the sanctuary ! That I may 
share in the heavenly entertainment of thy children, 
and eat and drink in thy presence, that bread of life, 
and that cup of blessing, which may be the life of 
my soul, and make glad my heart, even with the 
joy of thy salvation, 



92 Devout Ejaculations 

V. O what shall I do at thy house, and thy table, 
Lord, if thou dost not appear to receive and enter- 
tain me ? O that thou wouldst, in wonderful conde- 
scension, bow the heavens and come down : and 
make me experience thy presence with me, and that 
power of thy Spirit upon me ; and that loving kind^ 
ness of thine, which is better than life ! 

VI. O let not the great Lord and Lover of souls, 
keep off as a stranger to my soul ! But look forth at 
the windows, and show himself through the lattice, 
and remember me in saving mercy, where he feeds, 
where he makes his flock to rest : and let me now 
taste and see, to the satisfaction of my soul, how good 
the Lord is, 

VII. I desire to shelter under die shadow of my 
Lord Redeemer ; and to be found in Christ Jesus, 
endued with that righteousness of his which is suffi- 
cient both to atone for all my guilt, and also to fill 
up all my wants ; yea, to make me complete and 
meet for the love of God, and for the felicity of his 
chosen. O God of all grace ! give me, I beseech 
thee, thy Christ to be my Jesus ; and grant me a 
particular saving interest in that great redemption, 
which he brings to the poor sinful lost world : that 
my soul may magnify the Lord, and my spirit may 
rejoice in God my Saviour. 

VIII. O thou that art able to do it, bring me 
into the bonds of the covenant : and let me volun- 
tarily and cheerfully enter it : not as compelled to it 
or aggravated at it ; but willing and glad with all 
my heart, to be secured in such blessed hands. 

IX. make me willing in the day of thy power ; 



before receiving the Lortfs Supper. 93 

and may I this day experience, Lord, the powerful 
workings of thy blessed Spirit ; to open and enlarge 
my heart, and make me ready and fit, and joyful, 
to receive him who stands at the door and knocks ; 
even to receive Christ Jesus the Lord into my soul. 

X. O how unworthy am I, Lord, that thou 
shouldst come under my roof : unworthy to eat the 
crumbs that fall under thy table ! but thy infinite 
merits can cover all my sins and unworthiness ; and 
recommend me to the just and holy Majesty of hea- 
ven, even as if I had not sinned. O deal so gracious- 
ly with me, my Lord, and my God, I beseech thee, 
and forgive, and heal, and help me ; and exercise 
thy power and pity, and great salvation upon me : 
and come into my soul, with all the blessings and 
consolations of thy coming into the world. 

XL O Lord ! my soul is polluted and unclean : 
but thy precious blood can cleanse me from all my 
sins and defilements ; and make me fit to receive 
thee, to my profit and comfort : O speak thou the 
word, and I shall be clean and whole : and my soul 
shall live and for ever bless thy name. 

XII. Assist me mercifully, O Lord, in my de- 
signs and endeavors to obtain the blessed fruitions, 
whereof thou hast made me capable. O forgive my 
unworthiness : cover my deformities ; help my in- 
firmities ; quicken my dulness ; prepare me for 
thee ; draw me unto thee ; bring me into the enjoy- 
ment of thee ; now in part, as far as I can attain : 
and hereafter in fulness, as much as my heart shall 
desire, and that for ever. 

XIII. O that thy ordinance now may be the 



94 Thanksgiving and Prayer 

means of my establishment ; to derive unto my soul, 
out of the fulness of Christ Jesus, grace sufficient to 
make me holy and lively, and able for my duty : 
faithful in it, and constant to it ! And what I have 
not in myself, Lord, do thou give me ; and what I 
am not of my self, O do thou make me, for thy own 
mercy's sake. Amen, Amen, 

Thanksgiving and Prayer after the Sacrament of 
the Lord's Supper. 

I DESIRE with all my soul to adore and mag- 
nify thy blessed name, O Lord God, my heav- 
enly Father, for all the expressions of thy love and 
bounty, to me a poor unworthy sinner. Particular- 
ly for thy precious favors and the renewed pledges 
of thy love in Christ Jesus, which I have received 
from thee this day ; that thou hast admitted me, not 
only into thy house but to thy table ; and used me 
as thy friend and the child of thy family ; who de- 
serves to be cast out as an enemy, and to be trampled 
even as the offscouring of all things. O what man- 
ner of love is this, that I should fare so well, and 
deserve so ill at thy hands ! O that it should be so 
done to wretched sinful men ! that the God so great- 
ly offended by us, should not only forgive us, but 
entertain and feast us with all the good tilings, which 
our blessed Saviour has merited and prepared for 
us ! Lord, what is man, that thou art so mindful of 
him, and the son of man that thou so visitest him ! 
And what am I, one of the vilest and sin fullest of 
men, that the great Lord, so ill used by me, should 
deal so exceeding graciously with me ! O make me 
to know the things that are freely given me of God, 
and how much I do owe unto the Lord, for all thy 
kindness to my soul, which thou hast redeemed and 
eternally obliged to thyself. O give me a heart 



after the Lord's Supper. 95 

deeply sensible of thy mercy, and steadfastly purpos- 
ing to live to thy glory ; that I may shew my thank- 
fulness for thy benefits, by my obedience to. thy 
precepts. O keep me mindful of the vows of God 
upon me : and help me to live, as having my holy 
Redeemer now dwelling in me. 

And as I have received Christ Jesus the Lord, so 
enable me to walk in him ; to walk more worthy of 
the Lord unto all well- pleasing ; to walk in love, as 
Christ loved us ; and to go on in the strength of 
what I have received from thee, to live unto thee : 
following after holiness, as being not only brought 
so nigh to, but intimately conjoined with the holy 
one of God. 

As I have eat and drank the sacramental bread 
and wine, to the nourishment and refreshment of 
my frail body ; so let the crucified body and ef- 
fused blood of God my Saviour, nourish and sustain 
my immortal soul unto life eternal : and revive mc 
with the sense of thy pardon and peace, and love, 
that is better than wine, and better than life itself. 

And O that the sacrifice of Christ Jesus, that sa- 
crifice of himself, which he offered upon the cross, 
and which I have this day been commemorating at 
thy table, may atone for all the failings and miscar- 
riages in my preparations and performances ! That 
upon the account of that grand propitiation for the 
sins of the whole world, I may be spared and ac- 
cepted with thee my God, here to thy blessed love, 
and hereafter to thy heavenly glory : through him 
that gave himself for us, and "has also given himself 
to us ; even the Son of thy love, and the great Lov- 
er of our souls : for whom, and to whom, with thy 
eternal Self and holy Spirit, be all thanks and praise, 
and honor, and glory, ascribed of me, and of all thy 
church, now and for evermore. Amen* 



[ 96 ] 

Some devout Ejaculations and Elevations of the 
Soul, after receiving at the Lord's Table. 

I. f^i LORY be to thee, O Lord our God, that 
\J in our extreme need of a Redeemer, thou 
hast made such gracious provision for cur souls ; 
and sent thy Son to die for our sins, and to save us 
who had destroyed ourselves. And that he who of- 
fered himself upon the cross for us, is pleased to of- 
fer himself at his table unto us : Where I have been 
tasting the fruits of his love, and receiving my share 
among the redeemed of the Lord. 

II. I bless thee, my God, for the mercies of a 
Saviour ; without which all mercies else wojild be 
unavailable, and do me,, no good. I bless thee, 
that thou hast not withheld thy Son, thy only Son, 
from us, but given him to be the propitiation for 
our sins, and to be the life and food of our souls. 

III. I sat down under his shadow, and his fruit 
w r as sweet to my taste. I have been entertained at 
the table of the Lord : and there his banner over me 
was love. 'Twas love that gave me the Saviour 
whom I have been receiving; and the opportunity 
now to come, and rest, and feast my soul upon him. 

IV. Return to thy rest, O my soul, for the Lord has 
dealt bountifully with thee. — Thy life is given thee 
at his hands : who forgiveth all thy sins, and healeth 
all thy diseases : and not only redeems thee from des- 
truction, but crowns thee with loving kindness and 
tender mercies ; and satisfies thy mouth with good 
things, and those the best of all things, even his par- 
don and peace, his Son and his Spirit ; the riches of 
his grace, and the pledges of his glory. 



Devout Ejaculations, &fc. 97 

V. Blessed be my God, for that bread which came, 
down from heaven, to give life unto the world. And 
blessed be thy name, O gracious Lord, for my share 
in this highest expression of thy wonderful love 
and bounty. 

VI. Eternal thanks and praise be unto thee, O 
blessed God my Saviour, for all thy glorious achieve- 
ments, in laying the sure foundation for our good 
hope, and everlasting consolation. 

VII. Thou hast loved us, and redeemed us, and 
washed us from cur sins in thy own blood. And 

how infinitely indebted am I to thy mercy, that 
thou callest me to this sweet heavenly entertainment ; 
which cost thee so dear, to purchase and provide 
for us ! 

VIII. O make me more sensible of thy love, and 
more thankful for all its blessed effects ; and let me 
now find the happy fruits of strength and refresh- 
ment to my soul ; even strength against all the temp r 
tations, that would pluck me from thee, and engage 
me in rebellion against thee ; and such refreshments 
as may take my heart off from all the pleasures of 
sin ; and make it my meat and drink to do the will 
of my heavenly Father. 

IX. After I have tasted the pleasures of my Fa- 
ther's house, O let me not go to feed upon husks. 
And let nothing wear off or wear out jhe savor that 

1 have had of things heavenly « nor let a world part 
between me and the blessed Saviour of the world. 

X. Let me not turn my back upon the Lord of 
love, that has been so good and kind to my soul. 



98 For a Public Fast. 

let me not break with my heavenly Sovereign, 
to whom now again I have vowed allegiance. 

XL Whither shall I go from thee, O blessed Je- 
sus, who hast the words and the gift of eternal life ? 
All is in thy hands ; and thou art the best of all 
Lords, who dost not rule us, but to bless us : and 
canst have no ends upon us in ordering of us, but 
only to keep off ruin from us, and to secure the 
highest happiness to us. 

XII. I will admire, and love, and praise my 
Lord : I will believe and trust in his tried mercy : 

1 will rejoice and glory in his great salvation. And 
who shall pluck me out of his hands ? What shall 
separate me out of his love ? My beloved is mine, 
and I am his. Thine I am, O Lord, and thine I 
will be, while I have my being. 

XIII. Yet Lord of all power and love ! I beseech 
thee keep thy servant from falling : and preserve me 
in every time and case of danger. O do not suffer 
me to undo myself; but pity my frailty, and relieve 
my infirmity : and in thy hands let me be safe and 
never perish, but attain to everlasting life : through 
Jesus Christ my great Redeemer and only Saviour. 
Amen, Amen, 

Prayer and Humiliation for a Public Fast-Day. 

OLORD God, glorious in holiness, and of pur- 
er eyes than to behold any iniquity without 
abhorrence of it, and indignation against it ! How 
shall man, sinful man, that drinks in iniquity like 
water, appear before thee ? And how shall we, vile 
and frail, polluted and depraved as we are, shew our- 
selves in the presence of such a great and wise, just 



For a Public Fast. 99 

and holy God, as thou art ! When we look upon thy 
perfect law, and see what we should be, what man- 
ner of person, in all holy conversation and godliness ; 
and when we reflect on our own hearts and lives, 
and find what we are ; how wanting in our duty, 
antf. how contrary to that holy rule, which thou dost 
prescribe to us by which to keep our hearts and to 
order our conversation : We cannot come into thy 
presence, O Lord, without confusion of face, and 
anguish of soul, and remorse of conscience, to think 
how foolishly and wickedly we have done ; and how 
abject and wretched we have made ourselves ; even 
viler than the dust of the earth, or any thing that 
moves upon it. 

Besides that we brought with us a corrupt name 
into the world, full of strangeness to thee, our God, 
and full of enmity against thy holy, good and right- 
eous laws; we have mispent the most of our time 
here in the neglect of thy work, and in disobedience 
against thy word ; daily multiplying our offences 
against thee, as thou hast been pleased daily to 
multiply thy blessings and favors upon us. O the 
precious time that we have lost, the means that we 
have neglected, the mercies that we have abused, 
the calls and warnings, offers and invitations, that 
we have disregarded ! How bold have we' made 
with thy glorious Majesty, and with thy holy laws ! 
What littje awful regard have we had to thee! What 
little conscientious fear of offending thee ! 

O the crying sins and abominations, the pre- 
vailing wickedness, and the bold open impieties, 
\the sxvear'mg and drunkenness, the pride and un- 
cleanness, the cruel enmity, and all manner of in- 
justice, the corrupt communication, and ungodly 
conversation'] whereby God is so greatly dis- 
honored and provoked every day, almost every 



100 For a Public Fast. 

where ! And O how large a share have we had in 
adding to the public guilt ! Sinning as we have 
done, in all estates and affairs, in all relations and 
circumstances of our lives ! And not only through 
weakness and surprize, and the violence of tempta- 
tions : but many times knowingly, wilfully and 
presumptuously ; with a high hand, and stiff neck, 
against thee, our glorious Maker, and Judge eternal : 
and O how great a weight have we added to all our 
other sins, by the hardness of our hearts and our im- 
penitent continuance in our sins ! Committing great 
sins with little remorse, little penitent concernment 
for all the evils whereof we have been guilty ! Yea, 
Lord, how unsuitable still are our hearts and our 
lives for those holy rules, which thy w T ord gives us 
in charge to follow ! So much is there still amiss with, 
and wanting in us, that it is the great abounding 
mercy of our Lord, that thou dost yet lengthen out 
our lives, and thy patience with us ; and still leave 
us any of these opportunities, to humble ourselves 
before thee, and to cry for mercy to thee, in that 
day of grace, which through the forbearance of our 
God is yet over us. 

We have not glorified thee, O Lord, in bearing 
fruits of holiness answerable to thy revealed will, and 
to thy obliging love : But we desire to give glory 
to God, in confessing our sins, and humbling our 
souls, and acknowledging our desert of all thy judg- 
ments : and admiring and magnifying the riches of 
that grace and mercy, which has spared us so long 
a time, and shewed us such marvellous kindness 
still, notwithstanding all the high provocations of our 
sins. Lord, we have heard, and blessed be thy 
name, we have found, that the King of heaven is a 
merciful King. That with thee, our God, there is 
mercy, that thou mayest be feared ; that our sins, 



For a Public Fast. 101 

though great and manifold, may be pardoned ; and 
that our souls though ruinous, and much endanger- 
ed, by reason of our sins, may be recovered and 
healed, and eternally saved : O help us so to accuse, 
and judge, and condemn ourselves, that we may not 
be judged of the Lord, to be condemned with the 
world; and so to lay our sins to heart, that thou 
mayest never lay them to our charge, but upon the 
account of thy Son our Saviour ; whom thou hast 
given to be the propitiation for our sins ; and in 
Whom thou art a God gracious and merciful to poor 
sinners ; that deserve nothing at all from thee, but 
to be forsaken and abhorred by thee. For his sake, 
O good God ! give us repentance and pardon for all 
that is past, wherein we have offended thee ; wheth- 
er they be our sins of omission or commission ; sins 
of weakness or wilfulness : failings or presumptions ; 
the sins of ignorance, or such as we have committed 
against light and knowledge; O gracious Lord, 
humble us duly under the sense of them, and ab- 
solve us thoroughly from the guilt of them. O set 
our sins in order before us, and make us to know 
our transgressions, and the evil of our own hearts ; 
and every one of us so to search and try our ways, that 
we may turn to the Lord, and bring forth fruits meet 
for repentance ; and not only loathe ourselves in 
our own sight, for the evils whereof we have been 
guilty : but also loathe, as much as ever we have 
loved, the things which displease thy holy will, and 
dishonor thy blessed name. O that we may forsake 
our sins, not only in the outward commission, but 
in the inward affection ; not reserving to ourselves 
any sin or lust to be spared, nor any way of wicked- 
ness, wherein we would be allowed : but keeping 
at that distance which thy holy word teaches us to 
keep, from every evil and accursed thing, that is 
12 



102 For a Public Fast. 

abomination in thy sight, and destructive to our 
souls ; and cleansing ourselves from all filthiness of 
flesh and spirit, endeavoring to perfect holiness in 
the fear of God. 

We have been accessary to the accumulated hei- 
nous guilt that endangers us all, and calls for judg- 
ments on the land. O that we may be as forward 
to contribute our help, by the humiliation of our 
souls, and the reformation of our lives to save our 
nation ; and to turn away the anger gone out against 
us, that we perish not. Save us, O Lord, from our 
sins, which are the enemies of our own house ; 
more mischievous to us than any other evils or en- 
emies abroad. O pour out a spirit of serious re- 
pentance and reformation upon the whole nation ; 
to heal the distempers of our souls, to curb the dis- 
orders of our lives, and to recover the decayed pow- 
er of godliness in the land : and so prepare and dis- 
pose us not only for thy temporal mercies, but for 
the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ to eternal life. 
Help us so to turn from the evil of our ways, that 
thou mayest turn from the fierceness of thy wrath, 
and cause thy anger towards us to cease. O that we 
may fear the rod, and who has appointed it ! And 
so prepare to meet thee, our God, in the way of thy 
judgments, that the God of peace may think 
thoughts of peace to us, and not of evil ; and to 
give us an expected end, and the desired issue, of 
all our fears and dangers. 

Thou canst shew us great and mighty things, 
which we know not, and exceed all our expectations, 
as well as our deservings, by thy bountiful favors ; 
and though thou mightest make us know the worth 
of slighted mercies, by their want ; and deprive us 
of all the good, which we have so little improved, 
and so greatly abused : yet O how many promises 



For a Public Fast. 103 

of thy word, and what frequent experience, which 
we have had of thy mercy, in time of our need, do 
encourage us still with hope to look unto thee, our 
God, and to wait for the salvation of the Lord ! O 
how long, in all our provocations, hast thou spared 
us ! And how often, in our distresses, sent wonder- 
ful redemption to us ! And to thee, who hast helped 
and delivered, in time past, do we look still for help 
and deliverance. O our God, be thou pleased to take 
the motive now from thy own mercy, that has so far 
been pleased to interest thy glory in our safety ; and 
go on to help and deliver us, for the glory of that 
mercy which first made us thy people, and still has 
owned us for thy peculiar care. O do not abhor us, 
nor forsake us for thy name's sake : but be jealous 
for thy land, and pity thy people. Turn us again, 
O Lord God of hosts, and cause thy face to shine, 
and we shall be saved. 

Either in mercy turn away the evils from us ; or 
prepare us for them, and support us under them, 
and bring us happily out of them : that we may not 
sink and perish in them, but find spiritual good, by 
temporal evils ; and find the light momentary afflic- 
tions to work for us a far more exceeding and eter- 
nal weight of glory ; and all things concurring to 
promote our grace and our peace with God, through 
Jesus Christ. And though thou shouldst feed us 
with bread of adversity, and water of affliction, yet 
let not our teachers be removed into corners; nor 
bring us under a famine of the word of the Lord ; 
nor give us over to the formality of a lifeless profes- 
sion ; under all the means of grace, to send leanness 
into our soul. Though thou permit the floods and 
storms to arise and increase ; yet fortify us so by thy 
grace, that we may not be moved by any of these 
afflictions; so as to turn the blessed advantage of 



104 For the Fast-Day Evening. 

suffering for thee into an occasion of falling from 
thee. 

Seeing the truth itself will not make us free if we 
are not true to it ; and the purest religion cannot be 
our defence ; when we continue still so bad, as to 
shroud the worst conversation, under the best pro- 
fession, O help us, Lord, to rid our hands and our 
hearts of all the accursed things, that provoke 
thy wrath and indignation against us. And let 
us wisely consider of thy doings, and know the 
time of our visitation, and hearken to the calls, and 
take the warnings, and improve the means and mer- 
cies vouchsafed to us, while we have them ; and fol- 
low the conduct of thy good providence, and com- 
ply with all thy gracious methods used, to reclaim 
us from our sins, and to reform our lives, and save 
our souls : that all may not be in vain to us, but at 
last effect the purposes of thy saving mercy upon 
us : to deliver us from the evils to come, and to set 
us safe into the hands of Jesus Christ, our blessed 
Lord and Saviour, Amen. 

Confession and Prayer for the Evening of a Pub* 
lie Fast- Day. 

OLORD most high and holy, the God of all 
power and glory, against whom we have great- 
ly sinned, and who by our sins hast been highly pro- 
voked ; we are under a necessity still to come and 
appear before thee ; and we dare not keep away from 
thee. But O with what confidence can we look up 
to the Majesty of heaven, whom we have so ill used, 
and so much offended ! 

Well may we be abashed and struck down, to 
bethink ourselves of all the evil that we have done, 
and all the sins of heart and life which still we are in : 



For the Fast- Day Evening, 105 

when we remember, O Lord, and consider thy per- 
fect understanding of every particular, thy holiness 
to hate, thy justice to requite, and thy power to pun- 
ish every wicked thing : 

We fall down, and humble ourselves here at thy 
feet, blessed glorious God, confessing the grievous 
guilt of all our sins, and our due desert of thy heavy 
judgments. For we cannot but own ourselves to 
be some of those degenerate children whom thou 
hast nourished and brought up, that have rebelled 
against thee. Yea, have made the bolder to offend 
thee, the better thou hast dealt by us. 

Holy Father ! we are filled with confusion, to 
think what little proportion our lives do bear to our 
names; how unsuitable to our profession has been 
our conversation ; and how inconsistent we have 
been with ourselves : when we are called the child- 
ren of God, the members of his Christ, and the 
heirs of his glory ; and call the gospel our rule, and 
profess to, believe all the great eternal things 
which it contains ; and yet carry, as if we did not 
know or mind the privileges that we" have, nor the 
relation and obligations in which we stand. 

Yea, this may not only fill our faces with shame, 
but our hearts with dread : lest our very profession 
of thy holy religion should rise up in the judgment' 
against us, to aggravate our condemnation upon us ; 
because we would so sin against our own belief and 
knowledge, to pull down the more heavy intolerable 
doom upon our own heads. 

We have been vain and carnal, proud and un- 
thankful in our health and prosperous state ; and 
sullen and forward, murmuring and desponding in 
our low afflicted condition. The kindness and the 
mercy that should have allured us unto thee, and 
encouraged us the more faithfully and cheerfully to 



106 For the Fast -Day Evening. 

serve thee, has made us but forgetful of thee, and 
to wax wanton against thee. And the correction 
and trouble that should have driven us out of our 
sins, and hastened us to flee for the life of our souls, 
has but put us out of patience, and filled us with 
prejudice against thy righteous hand, and with hard 
and unworthy thoughts of our God. And so, we 
have made shift still to keep the hold of our sins, 
notwithstanding all thy various methods to break 
us of them. 

Yea, to thee, O Lord, who searchest the hearts, 
and triest the reins, we must acknowledge and be- 
wail the sins of our hearts and minds : our vain 
thoughts, and proud imaginations, our lustful and 
covetous desires, our envious and malicious pro- 
jects : for these corrupt the fountain, and defile the 
habitation of thy blessed Spirit. These are the 
seeds and roots of all the other evils in our lives ; 
and render us even as criminal in thy sight, as if we 
had outwardly acted what we have so inwardly devis- 
ed. Such vile inclinations and profaneness to evil, 
approving of it and delighting in it, and consenting 
to it, carries so much guilt and malignity along with 
it, that even for this, thou mightest justly abhor us 
and condemn us, in that day when God shall judge 
the secrets of men, by Jesus Christ. 

Thus we must criminate and arraign ourselves ; 
confessing that iniquities prevail against us, tempta- 
tions are still pressing upon us ; and our sins, O 
how often do they get the ascendant over us ! Still 
we are offending our holy Lord ; and still we are 
canying in us the corrupt nature, the carnal mind, 
the opposition to thy righteous law, and an enmity 
against God, whi ch threatens us with thy wrath and 
ruin. 

We read of such as cannot cease from sin ; and 



For the Fast-Day Evening, 107 

such, O Lord, thou knowest us in a great measure 
to be ; that have brought ourselves under the sad 
necessity of sinning against thee ; and so entangled 
our guilty souls in the tempter's snare, as to be 
taken captive by him, even at his will. 

We call to mind, with shame and remorse, how 
we have provoked the eyes of thy jealousy, and af- 
fronted thy glorious Majesty ; how frequently we 
have so sinned, and how heinously offended. 

But after all this, so much amiss that we have 
done, and when we cannot but thus acknowledge 
what great and provoking sinners we have been, yet 
O what sorry works have we made of our repent- 
ance for our sins ; O how little have we done at it, 
but trifle with it ! Even when we talk of humiliation, 
and pretend to it* and argue for it, O Lord thou 
knowest how seldom we have engaged in it, and how 
superficially we have gone over it, in the proper 
seasons for it : how hard and unrelenting have been 
our hearts ! and how loath and backward to the most 
needful work ! 

O good God ! wilt thou humble us, that we have 
been no more" humbled ; and lay not to our charge 
the sins of those services which we have so ill per- 
formed. And seeing unrepented sins are the cause 
of thy dreadful judgments, O that the dread of thy 
judgments may drive us out of all such sins ! And 
when the wrath of God is revealed from heaven 
against them> O let us not dare to continue in them. 
When the axe is laid to the root of the tree, and thy 
hand is lifted up, as ready to do execution upon us, 
O that we may be so warned and reclaimed, and 
bring forth such fruits meet for repentance, that 
we may not be hewn down and cast into the fire, 
nor die or peVish in our sins ! but may find a way 
of escape, and mercy from the Lord, and grace to 
help in all times of our need. 



108 For the Fast-Day Evening, 

And the Lord in mercy pity our frailties and in- 
firmities, and forgive us all our sinful neglects 
and iniquities. And for what is still wanting in us, 
O be thou graciously pleased to accept the full and 
perfect merits and righteousness of thy dear Son, 
our most holy Saviour : and let his precious blood 
be heard speaking for us ; where we have nothing 
to say for ourselves ; and where we are so unwor- 
thy to be heard on our own account. 

Be merciful, O God, to this sinful nation, that 
has so long enjoyed, and so much abused thy rich 
and sundry blessings, and still goes on to provoke 
thee daily. O forgive the many crying sins, for 
which thou mightest justly abhor us, and reject us, 
and lay us desolate, and so forsake us utterly, as to 
be favorable to us no more; Yet grant us thy 
grace we beseech thee, so to repent and amend, that 
w r e may be spared and saved from all the judgments 
which we have so much deserved. 

O that thy warnings and threatenings, and chas- 
tenings, may not leave us still an unrelenting incor- 
rigible people, nor pass over us, without working an 
humble submission and unfeigned repentance up- 
on us ! O that we may find the blessed reconcilation 
with our God, in humbling ourselves before thee, re- 
turning unto thee, and bringing forth such fruits of 
new and better obedience, as, in the Lord our right- 
eousness, shall be favorably accepted by thee : That 
we may not sink under our fears, nor be ruined 
by our sins, but plucked as a brand out of the fire : 
to survive our dread and danger, and to see the 
good of thy chosen, and rejoice in the gladness of 
thy nation, and glory with thy inheritance. 

And for all the mercy which in judgment thou 
hast still remembered towards us ; and for all thy 
wonderful patience with us, and long-suffering of 
us ; and that continued matter and occasion of 



In Time of War. 109 

thankfulness, which we have yet before us ; that we 
are not all consumed, nor only spared, but many 
ways still blest and favored ; not unto us, O Lord, 
not unto us, but to thy name alone, be all the praise 
and glory rendered with humble and grateful hearts, 
by us, and by all thine every where, now and for 
evermore. Amen. 

An Addition in Time of War. 

OLORD, the great and dreadful God ! against 
thee we have so greatly sinned and carried us 
such enemies to thy glory ; that thou mayest justly 
use our enemies, as thy scourge to correct us, and 
to make us feel some of the smart of our sins : for 
which it is meet that we should patiently bear thy 
indignation, even under such thy dealings. But 
however thou shalt be pleased to express thy anger 
against us, O let us not fall into their hands whose 
very mercies are cruel. Arise, O God, let not man 
prevail, nor those that hate us swallow us up : but 
scatter them by thy power, and bring them down, 
O Lord, our shield. Thou that makest the wrath 
of man to praise thee, O work thy glory even out 
of that which looks so contrary : yea, restrain the 
remainder of their wrath ; arid put a stop to the effu- 
sion of blood, that wars may cease, and our land 
have rest, and thy people be blest w r ith peace. Our 
eyes are upon thee, our great Saviour, and mighty 
Deliverer, to give us help from trouble, because 
vain else is all the help of man. In times of danger, 
O be thou our shield and buckler : and when our 
sins lay us open to the malice of enemies, gracious 
God, be thou our hiding-place, to preserve us from 
the feared evils and deserved judgments. O for thy 
truth's sake, for thy Church's sake, for thy beloved 
Son, our blessed Saviour's sake, spare u$, good 
K 



1 10 In Time of Infection. 

Lord, and give us not up a reproach to the ene- 
mies of our holy religion ; nor let them ever have 
cause to rejoice in our ruin. 

O go forth with our armies, thou Almighty Lord 
of hosts, and bless and prosper all, both our land and 
naval forces. And that we may not be in rebellion 
against heaven, while others are warring against us, 
O save us from our provoking sins, and direct our 
ways to please the Lord ; and help us so to make 
our peace with our God, that thou may est make 
even our enemies to be at peace with us. O purge 
the camp of every careful thing, which enfeebles 
their strength, and defeats their attempts, that they 
cannot stand before their enemies. And turn them 
from all the provocations which weaken our hopes 
by receiving good by their hands. Cover thou 
their heads in the day of battle ; and preserve them 
in all the times and cases of danger. O let them be 
' as the sun when he goeth forth in his strength ; and 
return with safety, honor, victory, and all good and 
happy success. O hear the prayers and cries of thy 
servants, which stand in the gap, interceding in the 
anguish of their souls for these poor sinful nations, 
which have so long abused the rich vouchsafements 
of thy mercy, that we may be spared and saved, and 
by the kind hand of Omnipotent mercy, plucked as 
a brand out of the fire, to survive our sins and our 
fears, and to see the good of thy chosen, and to re- 
joice in the gladness of thy nation, and glory with 
thy inheritance ; for all the riches of thy grace and 
goodness to us in Jesus Christ. Amen. 



o 



In Time of Infection. 

LORD God, the Giver of our health, which 
is the blessing that sweetens all the other 



In Time of Infection. Ill 

blessings of our lives : it is only of thy mercy that 
we have so much health continued, after the disor- 
derly manner in which we have lived. And O how 
just were it with thee, utterly to take away that 
health from us which we have so greatly abused to 
a forgetfulness of thee, and wantonness against thee I 
how justly mightest thou smite us with the most 
sharp and noisome diseases, which our nature most 
abhorreth : to hurry us out of the land of the living, 
and put a sorrowful end to our wretched days ! Our 
flesh trembles for fear of thee, and we are afraid of 
thy judgments, lest thou shouldst strike into us the 
arrows of the Almighty, for the poison thereof to 
drink up our spirits : lest thou shouldst give unto 
Death a command to come in at our doors and win- 
dows, and make havoc among us, and sweep us 
away with the besom of destruction. ^But O thou 
Hope of Israel, the Saviour thereof in time of trou- 
ble ; regard not our ill deserts ; but remember thy 
own tender mercies, and gracious promises; and 
take pity on us, and turn away this plague from us. 
Put a stop to the raging infection, and say to the 
destroying angel, it is enough. That we may not 
be so afraid for the terror by night, nor for the arrow 
that flies by day ; nor for the pestilence that walk- 
eth in darkness ; nor for the destruction that wast- 
eth at noon-day : but with ease in our minds, and 
gladness in our hearts, may serve thee faithfully and 
cheerfully all our days : and devote our spared lives, 
which we have begged at thy hands, and our health 
and every mercy, to be laid out and used to thy 
honor and glory ; through the strength and the right- 
eousness of thy dear Son, our most compassionate 
and prevailing Mediator, Jesus Christ. Amen. 



[ na ] 

In Time of Famine. 

OLORD most High, the Creator of every com- 
fort ! thou hast long dealt out thy comforta- 
ble blessings with a plentiful hand to us ; and we 
have freely enjoyed all the abundance of thy good 
things heaped upon us. But when thou hast fed us 
to the full, how have we kicked against our blessed 
Creator, and most bountiful Provider : and consum- 
ed the provisions for our bodies, to feed the lusts 
that war against our souls ; and to strengthen and 
embolden us in our rebellion against the Majesty of 
heaven ! most righteous therefore, we confess, 
would be thy judgments, holy God, if thou shouldst 
stretch out upon us the line of confusion, and the 
stones of emptiness, and break the staff of our bread; 
and curse us in all our store, and in all the endeav- 
ors of our hands, to help ourselves. 

But, O thou blessed Father of mercies ! in mer- 
cy avert from us the hunger, and thirst, and naked- 
ness, and want of all things, which is the due desert 
of our sins, and of our wicked abuses of thy creature- 
comforts ; that the husbandman may not be asham- 
ed, sowing much and gathering little : and that the 
land may not mourn, and all the inhabitants, with 
the beasts of the field, and the fowls of heaven. 
Humble us, O Lord, for all our sins ; and turn us 
from that wickedness which turns our land into bar- 
renness : and then again be pleased to command a 
blessing upon the blasted comforts, and abundantly 
bless our provision, and satisfy our poor with bread ; 
and give us fruitful seasons, filling our hearts with 
food and gladness ; that we may see thy hand, and 
sing and praise thy power, and admire and adore 
thy mercy and bounty : and in the strength and re- 



In Time of Thunder. 113 

freshment of our comforts restored, joyfully devote 
ourselves to thy holy service, all the days of our 
lives. Amen. 

Devout Application to the Lord in Time of great 
Thunder, or some terrible Tempest. 

OLORD God, most High and Almighty ! who 
lookest upon the earth, and it trembles ; and 
touchest the mountains and they smoke. How won- 
derful art thou and terrible in all thy works and do- 
ings ! to make us fear and tremble before thee ; who 
hast all the creatures at thy will, to employ them when 
thou wilt, as the executioners of thy wrath ; and even 
the devouring fire, and stormy winds, so outrageous 
in themselves, yet do fulfil thy word. In these aston- 
ishing flames, the roaring noises, and dreadful com- 
motions, thou shewest the power of thy hand, which 
no creature is able to resist. When the God of 
glory thunders and causes his voice, in an amazing 
manner, to be heard from heaven, thou makest us 
to know the terrors of the Lord, and how fearful a 
thing it is to fall into the hands of the living God, 
The dangers that startle and come so nigh us thou 
mighest make them the messengers of thy heavy 
judgments upon us. And we must own it, Lord, 
to be only of thy mercies that we are not consumed, 
because thy compassions fail not. O let these thy 
compassions now be extended to us, and shewed 
•upon us. And in tender mercy cause the threaten- 
ing destruction to pass over us. 

Great God ! there is no abiding of thy wrath ! 
though we deserve it, we are not able to stand be- 
fore it : but fall down, and humble and submit our- 
selves to thy omnipotent glorious Majesty ; beseech- 
ing thee to spare us, and to save us from the mischief 
K 2 



114 In Time of Thunder* 

and ruin which thou mightest justly commission and 
empower to destroy us. And from the peril and hurt 
of lightning and tempest, and sweeping judgments 
and sudden death, good Lord deliver us. 

O despise not the prayers of thy poor creatures, 
crying to thee in our distress and extremity : But 
now and evermore vouchsafe to hear, O Christ : 
graciously hear us, O Christ : graciously hear us, 
O Lord Christ, and let us find mercy from thee 
now, and in that great day of the Lord, wherein 
the heavens, being on fire, shall be dissolved, and 
the elements shall melt with fervent heat ; and the 
earth, with all its works, be burnt up. O if these 
sights and noises, and shakings be so terrible to us 
now ! how unspeakably astonishing will it be, when 
the whole mighty frame of nature shall crack and sink, 
and tumble down ! O Lord of all mercy save us now 
from our sins, that would then utterly consume us 
with terrors. For they are our sins that make us 
afraid : and fearfulness surprises us, because we have 
been false in thy covenant, and rebellious against thy 
word, and provoked the Lord our God to be angry 
with us. O forgive us all the guilt and transgression 
which do fill us with fearful expectation of thy wrath 
and fiery indignation. And let the all-sufficient 
merits of our Lord and Redeemer's bloody passion, 
that passion which made the earth to quake, and the 
rocks to rend, atone for every wickedness, whereby 
we have offended the holy Majesty of heaven. 

And O that we may not only be stunned and 
struck down for the present ; when thou dost so 
dreadfully discover thyself to us, and shake thy rod 
over us ; but of thy mercy, O Lord, wake us out 
of all carnal security and hardness of heart, and for- 
getfulness of our God, who is a consuming fire. 
As the thunder-storm, though frightful, use to bt 



In Time of any Calamity. 115 

fruitful ; so may the dread of thy judgments pro- 
duce some good fruits of thy Spirit in us. Blessed 
God, let thy terrors soften our hearts, and leave such 
deep and lasting impressions on our minds, that we 
may never disregard the works of the Lord, nor the 
operation of his hands ; but with all awfulness re- 
vere and adore the Supreme Eternal Ruler of all 
the world ; and in thy holy fear keep back from ev- 
ery evil provoking thing; and carry ourselves to- 
wards the Lord our God, in a humble, godly, cir- 
cumspect manner, as long as we have a day to live i 
even from this time forth for evermore, Amen. 

In Time of any sore and grievous Calamity. 

OMOST high and dreadful God, the supreme 
Commander of the whole world ! holy and 
reverend is thy name; just and terrible are thy 
judgments : Yet O how unsearchable ! and thy ways 
past our finding out ! thy path is in the great deep ; 
and thy footsteps are not known. Clouds and dark- 
ness are round about thee, yet righteousness and 
judgment still are the habitation of thy throne ; and 
thou canst never do injury to any ; but art righteous 
in all thy ways, and holy in all thy works. Who 
would not stand in everlasting awe of thy heavenly 
glorious Majesty, O Lord, in whose hands we all 
of us are, to be used as thou wilt ! who canst touch 
and consume us by thy own immediate stroke, or 
arm any of thy creatures in heaven or in earth against 
us : or make the vilest of them the executioners of 
thy just indignation ; or turn the very things where- 
in we have offended, into the instruments of our pu- 
nishment ; yea, and plague us even in our comforts ; 
making the choicest blessings of our lives become 
the saddest of our crosses, and the keenest of our 



116 Under perplexed Affairs. 

torments ; either to take away life from us, or make 
it less desirable than death to us. 

We fall down and kneel before the Lord our 
Maker, in humble submission to thy correction, ac- 
knowledging the heavy desert of our sins, and the 
perfect justice of thy judgments. Humble us, O 
good Lord, under thy hand ; and forgive us the 
heinous guilt that provokes thee so to stretchv it out 
against us. Thou that takest away the sins of the 
world, have mercy upon us, and turn us from our 
sins, and deliver us from evil and turn away thy 
wrath, and all such plagues from us. O let thy 
boundless compassion cover the multitude of our 
transgressions ! and remember thy poor miserable 
creatures in mercy ; even such mercy as may re- 
lieve and help us in our need and distress ; and save 
and free us from our fears and dangers, and from 
our griefs and pressures ; that we may comfortably 
spend our days, and glorify thy holy name for ever- 
more. Amen* 

Under any great Difficulties and arduous Affairs, 

OLORD, thou art a God of knowledge, whose 
understanding is infinite ; and thou art never 
at a loss to effect what we would have : though the 
Lord knows the thoughts of man, that they are van- 
ity : and our wisdom is so often at a stand, that we 
know not what to do for ourselves ; and at this time, 
our affairs are so entangled, and such a labyrinth now 
involves us, that we are perplexed in our counsels, 
and even the heads of the wise are puzzled, in con- 
triving how to extricate and help us out. There are 
many devices in a man's heart, but the counsel of 
the Lord, that shall stand. Yea, man's goings are 
of the Lord ; how can man then understand his own 



For Temporal Blessings. 117 

way ? His heart may advise his way, but the Lord 
directs his steps. If we lean not to our own under- 
standings, but in all our ways acknowledge thee, O 
Lord ; thou hast promised to direct our paths : and 
when we commit our way to thee, and trust in thee, 
we have thy word that thou wilt bring it to pass. 
But thou hast pronounced woe to them that take 
counsel, but not of thee : that cover with a covering, 
but not of thy Spirit, and have not asked at thy 
mouth. 

Our eyes therefore are upon our God; and to 
thee we seek now for wisdom from above : that we 
may learn to know the right, and to choose the best. 
For without thee, O Lord, our wisdom is folly, and 
our debates are madness. O be thou graciously 
present in our councils, and teach thou our senators 
wisdom, that they may find out the true expedients, 
to heal our breaches, and redress our grievances ; 
and to keep us safe, and do us good, and make us 
holy and happy. O may we all be taught of God 
which way to take, and how to determine and act, 
consonant and agreeable to thy blessed will, and for 
our own peace and welfare, both here and for ever. 
Amen* 

A Prayer for Temporal Blessings, 

OLORD our God, thou knowest that while we 
are in this life, we stand in need of its sup- 
plies : and hath both promised to such as seek thy 
kingdom, and the righteousness thereof, the addi- 
tion of all other necessaries ; and also hast command- 
ed us to ask of thee our daily bread, and to cast our 
care upon thee for all that is fitting for us, I pray 
therefore to thee, my heavenly Father, for such a 
child's portion as thy wisdom sees to be convenient, 



118 A Prayer for Rain* 

and agreeable to my condition. O give me such 
health and wealth, and so much of the world's good, 
as shall be for my good. And while I have a life to 
be nourished, let me not want the supports and com- 
forts of it. Give me skill and ability to provide for 
myself: and still add thy blessing to my endeavors. 
Where I cannot supply all my own necessities, O 
do thou raise up friends and means to help me, that 
I may never be destitute of what is sufficient to sus- 
tain me : and be it ever so poor and mean, yet let 
me acquiesce in the distributions of thy good provi- 
dence ; and having food and raiment, be therewith 
content. In prosperity, keep me from forgetting 
thee : and in adversity, keep me from concluding 
myself to be forgotten of thee : O keep me from all 
unnecessary cares, and unprofitable dejections ; and 
teach me how to want, as well as how to abound. 
Add to me, O my Father, what thou knowest me 
further to need ; and bless to me what already I 
have. That the bodily comforts may not be to my 
soul occasions of falling, but encouragements to my 
duty, and engagements on my heart, to abound in 
thy love and praise, and in the work of the Lord. 
And in the want of all other supplies and succors, 
be thou, O God, my all in all, in life and death, and 
evermore. Amen, 

For Bain. 

WE confess, O Lord, that we hayfe so greatly 
abused the comforts of thy good creatures, 
that thou mightest justly withdraw them from us, 
and make the heavens over us as brass, and the rain 
of our land dust ; and the land itself to mourn, and 
all that grows upon it to wither. But O thou Fa- 
ther of mercies, who in judgment remcmberest mer- 



For Fair Weather. 119 

cy, consult not now our merits, but thy own mer- 
cies, how to use us. Thou that hast the bottles 
and treasures of heaven at thy command, be pleased 
now to open the windows of heaven, and cause the 
rain to come down in its season ; making grass to 
grow for the cattle, and herbs and fruits of the earth 
for the service of men. And however thou art 
pleased to deal with us, O suppress all ourrepinings 
at any of thy dealings : and let them all amend and 
better us : and make us a people prepared to receive 
the mercies which we want, and wait and beg for, 
at thy gracious hands, upon the account of Jesus 
Christ. Amen. 

For Fair Weather. 

LORD, if thou shouldst turn a fruitful land into 
b^arrenness, for the wickedness of them that 
dwell therein ; yet righteous wert thou, and just 
would be thy judgments : and we must not open 
our mouths to reply against God ; but bear the in- 
dignation of the Lord which our sins have so much 
deserved ; when our iniquities have turned away the 
blessings, and withholden the good things from us. 
But, O Father of mercies, spare us, and forgive us, 
for thy own mercy's sake : and put a stop to the 
calamity that threatens destruction to the works of 
thy hands ; that the rain which is thy blessing may 
not be turned into a curse ; nor descend from heav- 
en to corrupt and spoil the fruits of the earth. , O 
cause the overflowing showers to cease, which damp 
the joy of the harvest, and endanger the blasting of 
our blessings. And as thou hast given us plenty > 
and caused our land to yield its increase, so give us, 
we pray thee, a seasonable time to gather in the 
fruits which thy bounty has provided for us ; that 
in the use of them we may joyfully and cheerfully 



120 For a Thanksgiving- Day. 

serve thee ; and not consume them upon our lusts, 
but live to thy glory, as we do upon thy bounty. 
And when thy judgments are in the land, O that we, 
who inhabit it, may learn righteousness ! nor let our 
concernments be so great for our bodies as for our 
souls : that however we fare here, it may go well 
with us for ever. O let us not labor so for the 
meat that perisheth as for that which endures to ev- 
erlasting life : which everlasting provision for our 
unchangeable condition, above all we beg at thy 
hands, O Lord God our heavenly Father, for the 
sake of Jesus Christ our only Saviour. Amen. 

Prayer and Praise for a Public Thanksgiving- 
Day. 

BLESSED Lord, the only living and true God, 
who art of thyself, and givest being and pre- 
servation to us, and to all things else that are in the 
world ! we live by thee ; our whole dependence is 
upon thee, for all the good that ever we have or hope 
for. And above all thy mercies, have we cause to 
admire and bless, and praise thee our God, for those 
mercies, which in so large a measure, and especial 
manner, thou hast been pleased still to vouchsafe un- 
to us, who are the work of thy hands, and the pur- 
chase of the blood of thy Son : whom thou hast 
made and redeemed to shew forth thy praise, and 
to glorify thy name. And we desire to pay unto 
thee that tribute of homage, and service, and prayer, 
and praise, which thou hast made us capable of, and 
so many ways obliged us to : we desire to perform 
the same in such a manner, that thou mayest merci- 
fully accept us, at the hands of Jesus Christ. 

Worthy art thou, O Lord our God, to receive all 
honor and glory, all thanks and praise, and love and 



For a Thanksgiving -Day* 121 

obedience ; as in the courts of heaven, so in all the as- 
semblies of thy servants here upon earth : for thou 
art great and dost wondrous things ; thou art God 
alone ; and thy goodness is equal to thy greatness. 
Thy mercy is over all thy works, and endureth 
for ever. Thou, Lord, hast been favorable to thy 
land, and dealt exceeding graciously with us : for 
which we desire to bless thy name, and to give thee 
all the glory. For it is of the Lord's mercies we 
are not consumed, because thy compassions fail not : 
and that we are here alive to praise thee, and in any 
condition to keep a thanksgiving-day. That we are 
not now nothing, or worse than nothing, we must 
acknowledge it to be of thy free grace, O Lord, and 
thy mere mercy. That all the evils which have 
threatened us, have not befallen us ; and that those 
evils which have come upon us, have not utter- 
ly destroyed and undone us : it is because thou 
Lord, art gracious and merciful, and patient and 
kind, and still doing good to poor sinful men, who 
deserve nothing but evil at thy hands. 

O how much have, we to say of the goodness of 
the Lord by our own experience, and thy help at 
hand still in all the times and cases of our need ! 
how sweet and wonderful is it to recount all the in- 
stances of thy patience with us, and thy bounty to 
ns ! how from time to time thou hast signalized us 
with thy mercy, and made us remarkable for thy 
blessings and favors, most kind and precious, of many 
sorts ! thou hast cast our lot in a land of light, where 
we live under the influences of thy gospel ; and 
thereby are called to obtain the glory of our Lord 
Jesus Christ. And for all the happy advantages and 
good things of this life, which thou hast given us 
plenteously to enjoy, thou liast made us the envy of 
our neighbors, and the particular objects of thy kind- 
L 



122 For a Thanksgiving- Day. 

ness. Though many times we have provoked thee 
to stretch forth thy hand, and to shake thy rod over 
us, and threaten to destroy us, yet in judgment still 
thou hast remembered mercy towards us ; and after 
the clouds and darkness gathered about us, the dread 
and distress were on every side of us, thou hast caus- 
ed the heavens again to clear up, and smile upon 
us ; and returned with the visitations of thy love, 
and the joy of thy salvation* 

In the late dangers, thou hast been to us a tower 
of defence ; and in the time of our need, and per- 
plexity, thou hast shewed thyself graciously and 
powerful on our behalf. Thou hast helped us for the 
glory of thy name, and redeemed us for thy mercy's 
sake : not because we were worthy, but because 
thou hast a favor unto us ! and therefore to thy name 
alone be all the praise* O what shall we render to 
the Lord for all his benefits ! what can we give to 
thee our God, but the glory of thy own gifts and 
goodness unto us ! O let not our hearts be shut and 
straitened towards thee, whose hand has been so wide 
open unto us, But do thou possess and enlarge 
these hearts of ours, with more and greater love and 
thankfulness to the gracious Giver of all our good 
things. And make us more sensible of thy good- 
ness and love bestowed upon us, that we may give 
thee thanks from the ground of the heart, and have 
our mouths filled as with marrow and fatness, when, 
we praise our God with joyful lips. 

O make us a truly thankful, as we are a greatly 
obliged people. And let us not only mention the 
loving kindness of the Lord, but glorify thy name 
in bearing much fruit ; more answerable to such 
mercy and encouragement as we have received from 
above. We can never enough admire and magnify 
the riches of thy grace, and the multitude of thy 



Thanksgiving for Temporal Blessings. 123 

mercies : But O good Lord, enable us still more to 
love thee, and better to serve thee ; and in so doing 
for us, thou wilt still further oblige us : because in 
loving and serving thee, we do best love and serve 
our own happiest interests. As our minds cannot 
but muse, and our tongues speak of thy works ; so 
let our lives be led to thy praise, that thou the great 
and good God, mayest in all things be glorified by 
us, through Jesus Christ. Amen. 

Thanksgiving for Temporal Blessings. 

GRz\CIOUS God, the bountiful Provider for 
all the world's family ! the eyes of all wait up- 
on thee ; and thou givest them their meat in due 
season. Thou openest thy hand and satisfiest the 
desire of every living thing. Every year thou re- 
newest the face, and the fruits of the earth, and giv- 
est rain from heaven, and fruitful seasons ; to fill the 
hungry with good things, and to fill all our hearts 
with food and gladness. O how many of thy crea- 
tures have bestowed their labors, and lost their lives, 
and been consumed to clothe and feed, and sustain 
and pleasure us ! O at what vast expense art thou 
continually to maintain the whole world of creatures, 
that every where hang upon thee, for life and breath, 
and all things ! Yet thou art not weary to do us 
good : but still showerest down blessings plentiful- 
ly upon us ; to provide, not only necessaries, to keep 
us alive ; but also variety of comforts, to make our 
lives sweet and desirable. Yea, thou delightest in 
mercy, and hast pleasure in the prosperity of thy 
servants ; and makest us now to find, by our happy 
experience, how abundantly good and kind thou art. 



124 Thanksgiving for Temporal Blessings. 
For Rain. 

O Lord, thou hast sent a gracious rain upon thy 
Inheritance, to refresh the dry and thirsty land, and 
cause it to yield its increase : giving us the joyful 
opportunity to serve and praise thee in the abund- 
ance of the provisions which thou art pleased so to 
make for us. O that men would praise thee for thy 
goodness, and for such thy wonderful works to the 
children of men ! O good God, to thy name only be 
all the glory, now and eternally. 

For Fair Weather. 

Lord, thou hast in mercy shut the windows of 
heaven, and put a stop to the overflowing showers 
that threatened to drown the fruits of the earth : and 
hast caused this sweet and comfortable change to 
refresh thy unworthy servants, and to make all the 
creatures rejoice in thy goodness. Blessed be our 
God, that deals so graciously with us : and glory be 
to thy name, thou great Withholder of all the evils, 
and Giver of all good. Let the people praise thee, 
O God, let all the people praise thee. Then shall 
the earth yield her increase; and God, even our 
own God, shall bless us. 

For the Cessation of Infection. 

O thou great Preserver of men ! thou hast deliv- 
ered our souls from the hand of the grave, and kept 
us alive, that we should not go down to the pit ; the 
jaws of death were open upon us, and we went with 
our lives in our hands : our hearts failing us for fear 
of the destruction raging amongst us, when the very 
air, which we drew in to give us life, was to so ma- 



Thanksgiving for Temporal Blessings. 125 

ny the sad messenger of death ; and when thousands 
fell on every side of us, it has not come nigh us. 
But we have dwelt in the secret places of the Most 
High, and, under the shadow of the Almighty, have 
been kept in safety. O what shall we say, what 
shall we give unto thee, our present Help and only 
Saviour, in time of trouble ! we are every way thine, 
O Lord ; and to thee only be all the glory. We 
bless thee, our God, as those that are made alive 
from the dead. And O that the lives which have 
been given us at our requests, we may return them 
back to be spent in thy service ! that we may love 
and please, and praise our God; while we have our 
being. 

For the Restoration of Plenty. 

OGOD, the Fountain of all goodness ! thou 
didst threaten with famine to destroy the bless- 
ings of the earth, which we have so wickedly abus- 
ed : but remembering thy own tender mercies, and 
not our ill deserts, hast raised a new and plentiful 
supply for us. And now thou crownest the year 
with thy goodness, and thy paths drop fatness. Thou 
hast loaded the earth with the fruits of thy bounty, 
and sent abundance of ajl good things for the ser- 
vice and comfort of man. Q make us more sensi- 
ble of the obligation which thy love has laid upon 
lis. And as thou fillest us with thy good, things, 
so fill our hearts with thy love and grace to use 
every gift aright to thy glory ; that in the use and 
strength of what we are continually receiving from 
thee, we may devote ourselves to live unto thee, and 
to serve thee with gladness and rejoicing for all thy 
rich mercy to us in Jesus Christ. 
L 2 



126 Thanksgiving for Temporal Blessings. 

For Victory over our Enemies. 

O Almighty Lord, the most High God, who ru- 
lest in the kingdoms of men, and dost whatsoever 
thou pleasest in heaven and in earth ! in thy hand is 
power and might, so that none is able to withstand 
thee. It is thou that givest salvation unto kings, 
that deliverest thy servants from the hurtful sword. 
Thou hast saved us from our enemies, and put them 
to shame that hated us. It was not by our own 
power or conduct that we have been so prosperous ; 
nor did our own sword or arm save us : but thy 
right hand, and thy arm, and the light of thy coun- 
tenance, because thou hast a favor unto us. Thine, 
O Lord, is the greatness, and the power, and the 
glory, and the victory. The Lord is our strength, 
and our song, and is become our salvation. Now, 
therefore, our God, we thank thee and praise thy 
glorious name. And O what cause hast thou given 
us to rejoice in thy goodness, that thou hast not giv- 
en our enemies cause to rejoice in our ruin ! Great 
is thy mercy, O blessed Lord, and to thee alone be 
the whole praise and glory. O make us more sensi- 
ble of this thy help at hand, in time of our need : 
and give us grace still to keep the memory of it in 
our grateful minds. O thou great Lord of Hosts, 
who givest such safety and good success, wilt thou 
teach us also rightly to use thy sweet and marvel- 
ous kindness and love ; that being delivered from 
the hands of our enemies, we may serve thee, in 
holiness and righteousness before thee, all the days 
of our lives ; and not fly out into licentious carriage, 
as if we were delivered to commit abominations ; 
so throwing ourselves into the hands of our spirit- 
ual foes, after we have escaped the other, but de- 
meaning ourselves, as the redeemed and obliged of 



Thanksgiving for Temporal Blessings. 127 

the Lord. O let us love and trust, and bless and 
praise the Reliever of our misery, the only Giver of 
all victory, and the God of all our mercies. 

For Peace. 

OGOD of Peace, that makest wars to cease to 
the ends of the earth : that breakest the bow, 
and cuttest the spear asunder, and burnest the char- 
iot in the lire ! thou hast in mercy put a stop to the 
effusion of blood, and made peace in our borders ; 
thou hast rebuked strong nations, to make them 
beat their swords into plough- shares, and their 
spears into pruning-hooks ; that nation may not rise 
against nation, but every man sit under his vine, 
and under his fig-tree, and none make them afraid. 
O how sweet is thy mercy, and reviving, as life from 
the dead ! and thou, O Lord, that hast given us 
peace, O give us also grace, to use it to thy glory, 
and to serve thee still the more freely and cheerful- 
ly. That we may not only have peace with men, 
but also with our God : even the peace of God that 
passeth all understanding, to keep our hearts and 
minds through Christ Jesus, 

O that we may be sensible of the kindness and 
love of God our Saviour, as we ought, and ever 
give thee thanks with all our souls ! dear Father of 
mercies ! rather take all our good things from us, 
than leave us speechless and heartless to thy praise. 
Othat our hearts may be enlarged in thy love, and 
lifted up in the celebration of thy praises ! To thy 
name, O Lord, be the glory of all thy mercy and 
bounty. And may all thy works and all thy ser- 
vants bless thee, and praise thee, and magnify thee 
for ever. And may we have grace to express the 
thankfulness of our hearts, in the whole conduct of 



128 Thanksgiving for Temporal Blessings. 

our lives : devoting ourselves to be thine in faithful- 
ness, as long as we are in being. Amen> Amen. 

Thanksgiving after a safe and good Journey. 

ALL thanks and praise that I am able to render, 
is a debt that I owe unto thee, O Lord my 
God : and I desire with all my soul to pay it ; for 
that goodness of thine, which I have experienced 
all along now in my journey : where thou hast not 
only been nigh to me, and watchful over me, to se- 
cure me from perils of the way, and from every sad 
accident that might have befallen me, but hast given 
me success, and surrounded me with blessings and 
comforts on every side. When at every turn, and 
every step, I was exposed to the evils that might 
have hurt or spoiled me : and I might now have 
been groaning under broken bones, or bruised 
limbs, or other harms : yea, might have been cut 
off and perished in the way ; and lost not only health 
and strength, but life itself: thou, Lord, hast in 
mercy preserved and kept me in safety, and brought 
me to see my habitation in peace, and all things 
here, even according to my heart's desire, 

A horse is a vain thing for safety ; and nothing 
upon earth can we confide in to defend us, if the 
blessed Keeper of Israel do not cover us under the 
shadow of his wings ; and give his angels charge 
over us, to keep us in all our ways. But such in- 
visible guards I have had ; and such favor from the 
Lord of love I have found. Mercy and goodness 
of the Lord that has followed me all the days of my 
life, has been renewed afresh, and further manifest- 
ed to me in these my travels. And O how inex- 
haustible is the kindness and bounty of my Lord, 
never weary to do me good ! to thee, O. God of my 



. Thanksgiving for Temporal Blessings. 129 

life, and safety, and comfort, be all the glory. O fill 
me with a most grateful sense of such thy rich 
grace and continual mercy ; and give me a heart 
abounding with thankfulness and with thy love and 
praises ; yea, give me also grace to express the un- 
feigned thanks of my heart, in all the ways pleasing 
to thy holy will ; through the beloved of my soul, 
my blessed Saviour and Redeemer, Jesus Christ. 

Thanksgiving for Preservation and Deliverance 
from Dangers and Troubles. 

MANY, O Lord my God, are the wonderful 
works which thou hast done ; and thy 
thoughts which are to us-ward, for good, they can- 
not be reckoned up in order unto thee : If I should 
declare and speak of them, they are more than can 
be numbered. According to thy name so is thy 
praise, to the ends of the earth. The dead praise 
thee not, nor any that go down into silence : the 
living, the living, they shall praise thee, as I desire 
with all my soul toxlo this day. My heart is fixed : 
O God, my heart is fixed : I will sing and give 
praise. I will be glad and rejoice in thee, and sing 
praise to thy name, O thou Most High. I will 
praise thee, O Lord, for thou hast heard me, and art 
become my salvation. I found trouble and sorrow, 
then I called upon thee ; and thou wast attentive to 
my cry, and nigh to my help. And though thou 
mightest have made an example of thy judgments 
to others, as others have been made so to me, thou 
didst not consult my deserts but my distress ; do- 
ing great things, and working strange deliverance 
for me, not because I Was worthy, but because thou 
aboundest in mercy. 

O, I was in woful perplexity : fear was on every 



130 Thanksgiving for 

side : all my hope was ready to expire ; and I 
thought there was no help for me, but I must sink 
and perish. Then didst thou, O Lord, interpose 
between me and the threatening mischief; and re- 
veal thy glorious arm, to pluck me out of the very 
jaws of destruction : and set me at liberty from any 
amazing fears, and in safety from the dreadful dan- 
gers : and hast kept me alive, and restored my com- 
forts : not taken me away in the midst of my days, 
nor cutting me off untimely from the land of the liv- 
ing; but sparing me in mercy, and giving me, as it 
were, a new life from the dead. Thou hast chast- 
ened me, but not given me over to death. When 
my foot slipped, thy mercy, O Lord, held me up. 
Thou art the God that dost wonders : wonders of 
power, and wonders of mercy. As nothing is too 
hard for thee to effect, so nothing is too good for 
thee to bestow. Yea, thy kindness and thy help at 
hand, in the woful time of need, is so sweet and 
surprising, that nothing can so affect and transport 
our souls. 

Thou, Lord, hast made me glad through thy 
work : I will triumph in the works of thy hands. I 
will sing of thy power : Yea, I will sing aloud of 
thy mercy, for thou hast been my defence and my 
refuge in the day of my trouble. Unto thee, O my 
Strength, will I sing, for God is my defence, and the 
God of my mercy. O Lord God, merciful and 
gracious ! I am now sensible of such mercy from 
thee. I will extol thee, who hath exalted me : and 
not suffered the trouble and danger to overwhelm 
and ruin me. In my distress I cried to thee, and 
thou hast enlarged me. O blessed be God, who hast 
not cast away my prayer, nor turned his mercy from 
me. But, dearest Lord ! thou hast kept me in safe- 
ty, and caused the destruction so to pass over me, 



Preservation and Deliverance -. 131 

that I suffered but in my own fears of what I have 
so little felt. I cannot, without amazement, look 
back upon the perilous case that I was in* and the 
brink of ruin that I lay upon. And that I should 
escape, as I have done, O how marvellous is it in 
my eyes ! and O what cause have I for thy praise, 
that I am here alive to praise thee! O my God, it 
is thy good hand that hast wrought so wonderfully 
for me, and thy fatherly kindness that has shewn 
such extraordinary favor to me ; O ! If I had been 
snatched away unprepared, how dreadful a change 
should I have found ! But in mercy, and love to my 
soul (I give thee glory) thou hast made a way for 
my escape : and I am preserved the living monu- 
ment of thy unspeakable goodness. 

O what shall I say unto thee, whose name is ex- 
alted far above all blessings and praise ! and what 
shall I do for thee, to whom my goodness will not 
extend ! I can never answer the obligation which 
thy love* dear Lord, has laid upon me : but let me 
admire and love, and bless and praise thee, with all 
the capacities and abilities which thou hast given me. 
And O that thou wouldst imprint so deep upon my 
heart the sense of such seasonable relief, and won* 
derful mercy ; that I may never forget, never slight 
or abuse the great goodness that thou hast shewed 
me, and the signal preservation, and recovery, which 
thou hast wrought for me : but ever give thee 
thanks with all my heart : and carry as one that is 
so highly obliged, all the days of my life : not' se- 
cure and careless, because I have so escaped ; but 
the more watchful and diligent, the more I have 
been engaged and favored : approving my thankful- 
ness in such a manner, as thou mayest graciously 
accept in my blessed Saviour Jesus Christ. 



C 132 ] 

Thanksgiving and Prayer after Recovery out of a 
dungerous Sickness. 

OGOD of my life ! in whose hand my breath 
is, and by whom all men do live, and have 
their days here prolonged or shortened, I was 
brought low, and ready to think that thou wouldst 
now determine, and make an end of my days upon 
earth ; and counted myself so nigh unto death, that 
I expected every day, when that last enemy which 
lay in wait for me, would come and seize upon me. 
"But thou, Lord, hast graciously disappointed my 
fears, and rescued me from his hands ; and raised 
me up to walk again before thee in the land of the 
living. Though thou broughtest me even to the 
mouth of the grave, yet hast thou brought me back, 
that the pit of corruption should not swallow me up. 
And thou that givest me life at first, has now given 
it to me afresh. And to thee, my God, I desire 
therefore, with all my soul, to give all the praise. 
O blessed be my great Preserver, the dear and only 
Saviour of my body, as well as soul ; the God of 
my health, my heavenly Physician, my life, and the 
length of my days. O that I may live to declare the 
works of the Lord, and set forth the honor of his 
name ! that I may not look upon my extended life, 
as an occasion to the flesh ; to enjoy my liberty and 
pleasure upon earth : but as an engagement on my 
heart, to abound in gratitude, and love and praise, 
and all faithful duty, and cheerful obedience to my 
gracious God. 

For in mercy to my soul, the Lord has given me 
a further allowance of time in the world, to fill up 
what was wanting in my spiritual estate, and to make 
a better preparation for the heavenly kingdom. And 



Jfter Recovery from Sic/awss. 133 

upon this account alone it is that our life is so valu- 
able, and our time so precious here upon earth ; 
that we may have space to repent ! and the oppor- 
tunity to correct the errors of our past life, and to 
secure the greatest of all our effects ; to serve our 
Lord to more well pleasing ; and to dress up our- 
selves into a greater fitness to meet the eternal glori- 
ous Bridegroom. O that the life now renewed to 
myself, may also he a new life to the Lord. That 
I may not only say, I thought I should have died ; 
but may carry myself henceforth as one restored 
even from the dead ; and live with such dying 
thoughts, that when at last I come to die, I may de- 
part with lively hopes of eternal blessedness. 

For it is no total escape, but only a reprieve, that 
is now granted to me ; and my death is a debt to na- 
ture, that must be paid ; nor is there any avoiding 
it ; but the hands of death, that have been catching 
at me, will yet certainly take hold of me ; and I 
know not how soon I may be down again ; and not 
only threatened, but enclosed by the grave ; for that 
is my house, where, after all, I must take up my 
abode, and return to dust. And when I least think 
of it, O how suddenly may I be cut off, and take 
my last leave of this world ! 

O let me not live then as if I should never see 
death ; nor put it far from me, as if it should never 
be upon me ; nor reckon upon any sure standing, 
or long abiding, in such a changeable transitory 
world, that is but the house of our pilgrimage, and 
none of our home, nor the place of our rest. But 
when dust I am, and to dust I must return, O help 
me, Lord, so to remember and consider my death, 
that I may be the better fitted for it, in all the course 
and conduct of my life ; with such wise and holy 
circumspection, carrying myself and ordering all my 
M 



134 A Prayer for Blessing, &c. 

conversation in the world : that when I must close 
my eyes upon this present scene of things, I may 
depart hence, full of peace, and hope, to enjoy far 
better and more durable goods than any are here to 
be found. And for my recovery, and such health 
as I enjoy at present, O let me pay my vows to the 
Lord : and from the ground of the heart, ascribe to 
the God of my salvation, all glory, thanks, love, and 
service, throughout the whole remainder of my life, 
and for evermore. Amen. 

A Prayer for Blessing, Direction, Help and good 
Success, in any great Enterprize. 

OLORD God, infinitely wise and good, who 
teacheth man knowledge, and givest both the 
skill and power to accomplish our purposes ; and 
also the blessings and success to bring things to pass 
according to our wishes ! 1 know not what to do. 
But my eyes are upon thee ; and all my expectation 
is from thee ; and still I desire to wait, and call, and 
depend upon thee. A great work now I have to 
do ; but O how little strength to do it ! All my suffi- 
ciency is of thee, who workest in us to will and to 
do, of thy good pleasure. Thou that hast been my 
help, leave me not, nor forsake me, O God of my 
salvation ; but let me be taught of God what I have 
to do ; and let the gracious Lord make me to un- 
derstand what is thy pleasure concerning me. O 
that my ways were directed to please thee, that I 
may have the light of thy countenance shining upon 
me. 

My Lord and my God, leave me not in the hand 
of my own counsel, nor to the conduct of my own 
foolish and deceitful heart, but lead me by the way 
that I shall go, and guide me continually, that dis- 



in any great Enter prize. 135 

cretion may preserve me, and understanding may 
keep me. O make my way prosperous, and give 
me thy blessing and good success. Bring all need- 
ful things to my remembrance ; and where I have not 
the presence of mind nor power of performance, O 
magnify thy power in my weakness; and let me go 
forth in thy name and strength, and speed, and pros- 
per by thy grace and blessing. Let thy good provi- 
dence so be my defence and security, and thy holy 
Spirit my guide and counsellor, that I may wisely 
choose, and rightly manage, and successfully ac- 
complish, the things wherein I have engaged. 

Thy will be done, O Lord, however I am pleased 
or crossed ; and let me ever design thy glory, wheth- 
er it make for my gain or loss, in any respect in this 
present life.- O be thou still a gracious Father to 
me, and a merciful Provider for me ; and grant me 
now the comfortable sense of thy good acceptance 
of me, and thy designs of mercy toward me. Be 
thou pleased to take me to thy fatherly care, and 
conduct and preserve me from the evils into which I 
am prone to fall, and quicken me to the good, which 
I am averse to perform. Q establish thou the work 
of thy hands upon me ! yea, the work of thy hands 
establish thou it. My God and Guide, my Help and 
Strength; if thou lead me not, I shall run into er« 
rors ; if thou keep me not, I shall fall into dangers : 
but hold thou me up, and I shall be safe. And let 
me experience thy power and presence with me, and 
all the goodness of the Lord passing before me, that 
I may so go through this and all the affairs of my life, 
that, at my last reflection upon what is past, my soul 
may have peace and give thy name the praise, through 
Jesus Christ. Amen. 



[ 136 ] 

A Prayer -when going Abroad. 

LORD, thou art the same God in all places ; 

and no where can I go but thou art there. 
Both at home and abroad, on my way and at the 
end, thou art ever with me by the universal pre- 
sence of thy grace, and thy good Spirit* to con- 
duct and guide me continually ; to protect and save 
me from all dangers and mischiefs ; and to make my 
way prosperous, and all my affairs successful. O 
let the blessing of the Lord follow me, and rest up- 
on me ; and preserve my going out, and my coming 
in ; and never leave me nor forsake me, O Lord ^ 
but be my God and Guide this day, and in all this 
my intended journey, and all my life long : which 
is but a pilgrimage and passage through this world, 
in which I am continually hastening home, to the 
period of all my travels, to the place where I must 
take up and dwell for ever. 

O good God, make me continually mindful of 
that progress, and of that journey's end ; and keep 
me from sinful wanderings, and those worst of all 
falls, to fall from my God. Take care of me, I be- 
seech thee, and lead me, and keep me, and help me : 
and after all my motions here, O bring me safe at 
last to thy holy hill, and to thy heavenly rest, to the 
blessed end of my faith, the everlasting salvation of 
my soul, through the greatness of thy mercy to me, 
in thy dear Son, my gracious Lord, and only Sa- 
viour, Jesus Christ. Amen. 

A Prayer for Illumination and Knowledge. 

OLORD, the eternal uncreated Light; thou 
hast not left thyself without witness amongst 
us, but in thy word and works before us, in our 
souls and consciences within us, and in all thy crea- 



For Knowledge, 137 

lures on every side of us, we may see the tracks of 
thy presence, thy power, wisdom and goodness. 
That I have therefore no more and better knowledge 
of God, and the things belonging to my peace, it is 
my shame, and owing to my sinful dulness and 
negligence, in that which does most nearly and eter- 
nally concern me. Ah Lord, I have not improved 
in knowledge answerable to the light which thou 
hast caused to shine upon me, nor according to the 
means of instruction wherewith thou hast blessed 
me : but I have need to be taught myself the things 
v/hereof I might have been a teacher to others ; for 
which I desire, Lord, to humble myself, and to beg 
thy pardon, and come now to ask wisdom of God, 
who givest to all men liberally, and upbraidest not. 
I cannot see or know thee, O Lord, but by the 
beams of thy own light, which thou art pleased to 
impart. O wilt thou vouchsafe yet further and more 
fully to discover and manifest thyself to my soul ! 
and teach me to know aright thee, the only true 
God, and Jesus Christ, whom thou hast sent ! O 
blessed Sun of Righteousness, arise upon me with 
healing in thy wings, to scatter all the clouds of folly 
and ignorance, and error, and prejudice, that over- 
spread my soul. Open my eyes that I may behold 
wondrous things out of thy law ; and open my un- 
derstanding that I may understand the scriptures, 
and not remain in darkness concerning any thing 
that is needful for me to know, in order to my pre- 
sent peace and duty, and to my eternal bliss and fe- 
licity. And whereinsoever I, or any whom I am 
concerned with, or for, are otherwise minded than 
we ought to be, O God reveal the same to us ; and 
let us all be taught of thee to know thee, from the 
greatest to the least ! and not be unwise, but un- 
derstanding what the will of the Lord is* 
M 2 



138 For Knowledge. 

That the soul be without knowledge is not good : 
O incline our ears to wisdom, and our hearts to un- 
derstanding ; that we may follow on to know the 
Lord, and increase in the knowledge of God. Shew 
us thy ways, O Lord, and lead us in thy truth. 
And whatever else we are ignorant of, unto us let 
it be given to know the mysteries of the kingdom 
of God ; and to know what we are to believe, and 
how we are to conceive of thy blessed self, and all 
the things of God that concern us. O Lord, our 
light, give us understanding in the way of godli- 
ness ; a spiritual discerning of the things of thy Spi- 
rit ; and make us wise to salvation. Give us the 
spirit of wisdom and revelation, in the knowledge 
of thee : the eyes of our understanding being en- 
lightened, that we may see what is the hope of thy 
calling, and what the riches of the glory of thy in- 
heritance in thy saints, and what the mighty power 
of thy Spirit, which works in them that do believe. 

O put thy law in our inward parts, and write it 
in our hearts, that we may be well acquainted with 
thy will revealed in thy word ; that the scripture 
may not be to us a book sealed, or a gospel hid ; 
but a lamp to our feet and a light to our path ; to 
shew us what we have to do, and how to demean 
ourselves in all estates, affairs, and circumstances of 
our lives. O that our ways were directed to keep 
thy statutes ! And help us, O Lord, so to do thy 
will, that we may know the scriptures to be of God, 
and may have the witness in ourselves ; and per- 
ceive the divinity of thy word, by the heavenly 
power and efficacy of it upon our lives. And though 
now we see but darkly, as in a glass, and know but 
in part ; and cannot by searching find out the Al- 
mighty to perfection, yet help us still more and bet- 
ter to know our God, so as we can know ; till here- 



For Repentan&e. 1 5 1 

after we shall know as we are known, and to see 
face to face, in that blessed presence of thine, where 
is fulness of joy for evermore. Amen. 

A Prayer for Repentance. 

OMOST holy Lord God, against whom I have 
greatly sinned, and who for my sins art just- 
ly displeased ; thou hast revealed thyself from hea- 
ven against till ungodliness and unrighteousness of 
men, that impenitentJy go on in their trespasses ; and 
hast let us know, that as we all have sinned, so, ex- 
cept we repent, we. shall all perish. Even the Sa- 
viour of sinners will not save any sinner without re- 
pentance ; nor dost thou remit what we do not re- 
pent ; though upon ^ur repentance, thou hast assur- 
ed us of thy gracious pardon and acceptance : And 
when we return unto thee, and humble ourselves 
before thee, thou wilt shew us thy compassion, and 
grant us thy salvation, O gracious Lord ! great is 
thy mercy to vouchsafe unto us this remedy ; and 
to deal so favorably with us as to forgive and re- 
ceive us, when we are but sensible of our miscar- 
riages and rebellions; and humbly submit our- 
selves, and leave off to do so foolishly and wickedly. 
Such humiliation and reformation is the best and 
most needful thing for me to do , but O how averse 
and insufficient am I to do it ! thou Searcher of 
hearts, knowest my heart to be so hardened, through 
the deceitfulness of sin, that as soon may I fetch 
water out of the flint, as godly sorrow out of this 
obdurate heart of mine, if thou the great God do 
not soften it with thy holy fear, and dissolve and 
overcome it with thy powerful love : and that I can 
no more turn with all my heart to the Lord than I 
can turn the course of a river to run back to the 



140 For Repentance. 

fountain, unless thou draw me by thy grace, and 
give me power from on high, to enable me for the 
blessed work. 

O thou that didst cause water to gush out of the 
stony rock, wilt thou break and melt my rocky 
heart into such contrition as works repentance unto 
salvation ! Yea, thou that fashionest all the hearts of 
the sons of men, take away from me the heart of 
stone, and give me a heart of flesh, broken and con- 
trite, such as thou wilt not despise, that I may look 
upon him whom my sins have pierced and mourn ; 
and be in bitterness for all the foul offences that I 
have committed against the Lord of love, the God 
of all my mercies. O give me such true repentance 
for them, that thou mayest also give me full pardon 
of them. Give me, good Lord, that repentance 
which thy holy word requires, and such as thy gra- 
cious goodness in Christ Jesus will mercifully ac- 
cept ; even the repentance unto life, never to be re- 
pented of. O help me so to repent, and to be con- 
verted, that my sins may be blotted out, when the 
times of refreshing shall come from the presence of 
the Lord. Turn thou me, O Lord God of my sal- 
vation, and so shall I be turned, and change my 
mind, and amend my life, and bring forth fruits 
meet for repentance ; not only confessing and be- 
wailing sins committed, but also hating and forsak- 
ing sins confessed and bewailed, loathing, as much 
as ever I have loved, the things that displease thy 
holy will, and dishonor thy blessed name. 

What I cannot recall, yet, Lord, give me grace 
to repent. And where I am, alas ! so far from in- 
nocent, Father of mercies, make me penitent. And 
touch my heart with such a powerful sense of all 
thy io\ ing kindness, as may work upon my ingenu- 
ity ; to break my heart for my sins, and from them :■ 



For Faith. 141 

and make me sorrowfully concerned, that ever I 
should commit offences so great against the God so 
infinitely good : yea, make me so circumspect and 
full of care, to keep myself henceforth in thy fear and 
love ; that I may never be so strange to thee as I 
have been ; nor fall away from thee, and trespass 
upon thee, as I have done. O my God ! let thy 
goodness lead me to such repentance. And help 
me so to break off my sins, and turn and cleave 
unto thy blessed self, that thou mayest have mercy 
upon me, and abundantly pardon all my abounding 
sins, through the infinite riches of thy grace and 
goodness, in the Son of thy love, my only Saviour y 
Jesus Christ. Amen. 

A Prayer for Faith and Trust in God. 

WITHOUT faith, it is impossible to please 
thee, O God, and therefore I come to beg 
of thee that faith which is thy gift. Lord, help my 
unbelief, and increase my faith, Whatever thou 
hast revealed, let me take it upon the credit of thy 
word : and where I have thy promise, let me not 
stagger through unbelief: but fully persuade myself 
it shall be as thou hast said. O bless and enrich 
my soul, with such a holy, lively, and unfeigned 
faith, as may enlighten my mind, and purify my 
heart, and influence my whole life : such a faith as 
may enable me to receive Jesus Christ for my Sa- 
viour, and heartily give up myself to him for my 
Lord : so to be ruled and sanctified by him here in 
this life, that I may be for ever saved and glorified 
by him, in that life which is to come. O help me 
so to assent unto the truths, that I may also consent 
to the terms of the gospel : And work in me that 
effectual faith, which may work by love, and may 



142 To live by Faith upon Christ, 

enable me to overcome the world and to live above 
it ; looking at and for the great and glorious things 
of a better world ; those unseen things that are eter- 
nal. 

In my greatest darkness and distress, O let me 
trust in the name of the Lord, and stay myself up- 
on my God ; committing my ways unto thee, and 
casting my burthen upon thee, who carest for us ; 
yea, putting my trust in thee, though thou slay me ; 
trusting in thy almighty power to help and save ; in 
thy tender inclinations to pity and relieve ; and in 
the sure promises which thy love hath made, and 
which thy faithfulness will certainly make good unto 
all that wait and call upon thee,, to remember thy 
word unto thy servants, upon which thou hast caus- 
ed them to hope. And though I am not presently 
answered in the wishes of my heart, O let me tarry 
and wait patiently for the salvation of the Lord ; and 
have my eyes upon the Lord God, till he have mer- 
cy on me. Yea, make me so sound and strong in 
the faith, that my faith may never fail ; but that it 
may be found to praise, and honor, and glory in ev- 
ery time of trial, and at the great appearing of our 
Lord and Saviour, Jesus Christ. Amen, 

A Prayer for Power to live by Faith upon Christ? 
and the Divine Promises. 

IT is the command of my Saviour, that they who 
believe in God, should believe also in him, as our 
only Mediator with the Father ; to whom none can 
come, but by him : neither is there salvation in any 
other ; who counts it no robbery to be equal with 
God : Yea, who himself is over all, God, blessed 
for ever. But it is life eternal to know him : And 
none shall perish that believe in him* O the riches 



and the Promises of God. 143 

<?f grace, and the wonders of divine mercy, that it 
should so be done to poor sinners. Blessed for ev- 
er be thy glorious name, O God of all grace, who of 
thy abundant mercy, hast provided such a wonderful 
remedy for our sinful misery ; to save us through 
faith in him, where we could not be saved by any 
merits of performances of our owiC 

Great and holy Lord ! in all that ever I do, I 
cannot but see the extreme need of a Saviour : and 
that Tarn undone without the free grace of God in 
Jesus Christ. And therefore I desire to go even 
out of myself, and to be found in him ; not having 
my own righteousness, but that which is through the 
faith of him ; and to sit down under the shadow of 
that blessed tree of life, which yields the richest fruits, 
most sweet to the taste of all sensible souls. O that 
Christ, who is the end of the law for righteousness 
to every one that believeth, may be the Lord my 
righteousness ! that his righteousness may be im- 
puted to me : And that with the heart I may be- 
lieve unto righteousness : even so believe in Jesus 
Christ, that I may be justified by faith, and have 
peace with God through him. 

The blessed Jesus, is my life and strength, my 
wisdom £ind riches, my health and joy, my glory, 
and my all : there is no healing for my soul, but in 
his blood : no peace for my conscience, but in his 
reconciling me to God : no satisfaction to my mind, 
but in that most perfect atonement, which satisfies 
even the strictest justice of heaven. O none but 
Christ ; none but Christ ;! Without this all-sufficient 
Redeemer, I am a lost creature. I beseech thee, 
therefore, O Lord, whatever else I want, leave me 
not destitute of him; but give me Christ, or I die 
eternally. Though I confess myself most unworthy 
,of hirn, and that I deserve to go for ever without 



144 To live by Faith upon Christ', 

him : because I have so wickedly despised him, 
and neglected his great salvation, and abused all his 
kindness and love ; yet I dare not add this to all my 
other offences, to despair of that mercy of thine, O 
Lord, which in him thou art pleased to hold forth, 
even to the most sinful and unworthy. Seeing thou 
art in Christ Jesus, a God reconciling the world to 
thyself, and hast given him to be the propitiation 
for our sins ; and he came to seek and to save even 
the lost, and to call sinners to repentance ; and in- 
vites to him the laboring and heavy-laden ; yea, bids 
whoever is athirst to come, and take the water of 
life freely, without money, and without price : and 
promises that such as come to him, he will in no 
wise cast out : To him therefore I look, and in him 
will I trust ; and of thee, my gracious Father, I beg 
for help to do it as I ought. O be thou pleased to 
shine into my heart with thy heavenly light, to re- 
veal thy Son in me ; and to shew me his all-suffi- 
ciency for me, and my own happy share and inter- 
est in him. Dear Lord ! give me thy Son to save 
me ; and give me thy Spirit to draw me to him, and 
enable me to take hold of him, to rely upon him, 
and to believe in him, to the saving of my soul. 
O make me more acquainted with the way of saving 
sinners by Jesus Christ : and help me, for my own 
part, to acquiesce in it, and to submit to the right- 
eousness of God. 

Seeing thou, O God of all grace, justifiest sinners 
freely by thy grace, not for the worth of our works, 
but for the worthiness of thy Son, through the re- 
demption that is in Jesus Christ, O may it be given 
unto me to believe on him, and to repose all 
my trust in him, that believing I may have life 
through his name. And may I still be fully per- 
suaded in my mind, that he is the true Messias, and 



and the Promises of God. 14S 

the only Saviour of the world ; and never distrust 
his power, or his love ; nor be faithless, but believ- 
ing that Christ is my Lord and my God, who loved 
me, and washed me from my sins in his own blood. 
And the God of hope €11 me with all joy and peace 
in believing, that this may be all my solace, and my 
soul's rest, to lie at the feet of Jesus, to cast my bur- 
den upon the Lord, and to lean on the beloved of 
my soul, and upon the promises of God in Christ. 
Though there is nothing in me but pollution and 
disorder, O let me not keep off from my Saviour ; 
but come to him at his call, and believe in the name 
of the Son of God to be made clean and whole. 
None can more need his help, Lord, than I do : O 
that it may not pass by me ; but let the Saviour of 
the world be the Saviour of my soul ; and let Christ 
abide with my spirit, and be ever at hand to do me 
good. O that my Redeemer may look with such 
an eye of favor upon me, and revive me with some 
token of his love, which is better than all the enjoy- 
ments and comforts of the world. 

Help me, O thou great Author and Finisher of 
our faith, to pray in faith; believing that I shall 
receive the things which I ask in thy name. O my 
Lord, and my God ! make me to know and to be- 
lieve the love that thou hast to me ; yea, that thou 
hast loved me with an everlasting love. And let it 
bear me up under all troubles, fortify me against all 
temptations, and quicken and enable me for the per- 
formance of all my duties, to know whom I have 
believed, and to know that the Lord Jesus Christ is 
my Strength and my Redeemer. O that Christ may 
dwell in my heart by faith ; and that the life which 
I now live, may be by the faith of the Son of God, 
who loved me and gave himself for me : in whom, 
N 



146 To live by Faith upon Christ, &c. 

though I now see him not, yet believing, let me re- 
joice with unspeakable glorious joy. 

For it is thy gracious promise, Lord, to blot out 
thy people's transgressions, for thine own sake, and to 
heal their backslidings, and not remember their sins, 
nor let sin have dominion over them ; yea, to have 
mercy even upon the wicked and the unrighteous 
man forsaking his way and his thoughts, and abun- 
dantly to pardon ; to give to thy servants the heart 
of flesh ; a new heart, and a new spirit ; to teach 
them, and quicken them : to put thy Spirit within 
them, and cause them to walk in thy statutes, and to 
keep thy judgments, and to do them : to perform 
the good work in them : and though they fall, to 
uphold them with thy hand, and let none pluck them 
cut of it : yea, to put thy fear in their hearts, that 
they shall not depart from thee, and to preserve them 
to thy heavenly kingdom and give unto them eternal 
life. O exceeding great and precious promises ! 
such cordials to poor fainting souls ! But they are 
not too great to be made good : For faithful is he 
that has promised, who also will do it. It is ratified 
in heaven : and not one jot or tittle of thy word, 
Lord, shall pass away, till all be fulfilled. O let me 
believe that I, even I, shall see it. What time I am 
afraid, let me trust in thee ; and give glory to God, 
in believing thy gracious promises, though I know 
how unworthy I am to have them accomplished up- 
on me. Let me lay up thy kind words of promise, 
O my Father, as the richest treasure ; and confide 
in them as the surest tenure : counting nothing so 
firm as what God hath said ; and despising all the 
Wealth and honors, and pleasures of the world, in 
comparison of thyself, and thy Son, and thy Spirit, 
thy love, and thy grace and glory ; which I earncst- 
ly'beg of thy bountiful hands, for Jesus Christ, his 
sake. Amen. 



C 147 1 

A Prayer for the Divine Assistance. 

OLORD God Almighty, who givest power to 
the faint, and increasest strength to them that 
have no might ! Without thee I can do nothing ; not 
so much as will or think any good, nor keep myself 
from any evil ; but by thy gracious assistance it is 
that I am enabled for the performance of every duty 
laying upon me : and my help is in the name of the 
Lord, who made heaven and earth: and thou art 
able to keep us from falling, and to make us perfect 
in every good work, to do thy will, working in us 
that which is well- pleasing in thy sight thro' Jesus 
Christ. Yea, thou hast encouraged us to come 
boldly to the throne of grace that we may obtain 
mercy and find grace to help in time of need. Lord 
of power and love ! I come, trusting in thy almighty 
strength, and thy infinite goodness, and thy gracious 
promise ; to beg from thee what is wanting in my- 
self; even that grace which shall help me such to 
be, and so to do, as thou wouldst have me. O my 
God ! let thy grace be sufficient for me, and ever 
present with me ; and let thy good Spirit help my 
infirmities, and strengthen me with might in the in- 
ner man, so to enable me against my sins, and for 
thy service, that I may be strong in the Lord, and 
in the power of his might ; and do all things as I 
ought, through Christ strengthening me. 

O thou that hast shewed thyself still graciously 
on my behalf, and brought me on hitherto, nevtr 
cast me off, I beseech thee, nor abandon me over 
to myself, who am a reed shaken with the wind, a 
leaf driven to and fro- : but let me still experience 
thy help at hand, and my- God performing all things 
for me. I will go forth in the strength of the Lord 



148 For Sincerity. 

God, and trust in the Lord Jehovah, hi whom is 
everlasting strength. O my Lord \ come unto my 
succor, and be thou my helper, to carry me on be- 
yond my own strength, and to make all that I think, 
and speak, and do, acceptable in thy sight. Omay 
I both put forth myself, to stir up the grace of God 
that is in me ; and also find such fresh supplies of 
grace, that I may see my desires accomplished, and 
my endeavors brought to good effect : and so re- 
joice in the Lord and glory in thy holy name through 
Jesus Christ our strength, and our Redeemer. Amen. 

A Prayer for Sincerity. 

MY Lord, the only wise God, whose under- 
standing is infinite, and from whom no thought 
can be withholden I Thou filicst the whole world 
with thy presence, and hast all things ever naked 
and open before thine eyes. Thou that teachest man 
-till his knowledge," shalt not thou know ? O Lord, 
thou searchest the heart, and hast even the secretest 
of our sins in the light of thy countenance ; and 
thou chiefly callest for our hearts r and requirest 
truth in the inward parts ; and wilt bring every work 
into judgment, and every secret thing, whether good 
or evil. My God, I acknowledge and bewail here 
before thee, the guile and deceitfulness of my heart ; 
that I have been so unmindful of thy all-seeing eye, 
ever intent upon me : and that I have made so bold 
with, thy glorious Majesty,, still present with me. 
For which I confess, O Lord, thou mightest long 
since have cut me off, and appointed me my portion 
with hypocrites. But as thou hast spared me, so 
humble me, J beseech thee, and pardon me, for all 
such hypocrisy, and treacherous dealing, whereof I 
have been guilty. And thou that speakest to the 



For Sincerity. 149 

heart, and canst order it, even as thou wilt, O make 
my heart right with God, and without any allowed 
guile in thy sight ; so found in thy statutes, that I 
may not be ashamed ; nor be found wanting of what 
I profess myself to be, when thou shalt come to 
take an account of me. 

O let thy all- seeing eye, and not the eye of the 
world be the star to steer my course by ; And let 
thy blessed favor, more than the liking of any sin- 
ful men, be ever my study and delight. Search me, 
O God, and try me ; and whatever unpardoned guilt, 
or unrepented wickedness, whatever unknown error, 
or countenanced lust lies in my soul, O help me to 
see it, and of thy mercy, deliver me from it : and 
let me not regard iniquity in my heart : let no pre- 
sumptuous' sins have dominion over me. Let me 
not allow myself in any way of wickedness ; nor go 
on in formality and hypocrisy to serve thee; but 
walk before thee with an upright heart, and do all 
sincerely and heartily, as to the Lord. O let me not 
be only almost, but altogether a Christian ; obeying 
from the heart all thy will delivered to us, to be done 
by us ; and not so much concerned to seem religious 
and good, as such to be in deed and in truth. Make 
me willing to part with the dearest sins, and to per- 
form the hardest duties, for the sake of my Lord ; 
who parted with the highest glory, and underwent 
the sorest misery, for the sake of my soul. O make 
me true to my own convictions^ and faithful in ex- 
erting my own endeavors : yea, make me ever jea- 
lous over my heart, and conscientious in all my 
thoughts, and words, and ways. That I may not 
go self. condemned, for walking in a disguise, and 
only shewing to be what I am not ; that my praise 
may not be of men, but of God ; and that I may 
have continual rejoicing in the testimony of con- 
N 2 



150 For Humility. 

science and that peace of God which passeth all un- 
derstanding. O my Father, who seest in secret ! 
let the pleasing of thy holy will, and the honoring of 
thy blessed name, and the enjoying of thy gracious 
favor, be the great end which I design and aim at, 
in all my actions and undertakings : that thou, the 
great and good God, may est in all things be glorifi- 
ed by me, through Jesus Christ. Amem 

A Prayer for Humility. 

OMOST High God, infinitely glorious above 
all our expressions, or our thoughts ! Thou, 
sittest on the circle of the earth, and the inhabitants 
thereof are as grasshoppers : yea, before thee, all. 
nations are as nothing, and counted to thee less than 
nothing and vanity. O what is Hum that thou 
shouldest be so mindful of him ! yea, that he should 
be so unmindful of his own vileness and sinfulness,. 
to exalt and lift up himself, and to swell with the 
conceit of his own worth and excellence ! I desire,. 
O Lord, to humble myself, that I have been no 
more humble ; but have thought more highly of. 
myself than I ought to think; and vain-gloriously 
set off myself before men, when I deserve only to be 
despised, and nothing but confusion to be my por- 
tion. O thou that resisteth, the proud, and gi vest, 
grace to the humble, give me the grace of humility,, 
and make me mean and. vile in my own eyes, that I 
may be accepted in thy sight. Make me, Lord, of 
the number of those poor in spirit, those humble 
and contrite ones, to whom thou wilt look, and with 
whom thou wilt dwell. 

O set my sins in order before me, and make me 
to know my transgressions, that I may not flatter 
myself in my own eyes, but carry it as becomes, 
poor sinful dust and ashes, who deserve to be trod- 



for Mindfulness of God's Presence. 151; 

den under foot, and to be cast out as the offscouring 
of all things ; taking nothing but shame to myself, 
and giving all the glory to thee, of whatever is good, 
in me. Great and holy God ! make me more stu- 
dious to be thy favorite than to be so accounted ; 
and better pleased to do my duty than to hear of it i. 
Neither of men let me seek glory, but the honor that 
comes of God only. And the more I have receiv- 
ed from thee, the more let me ascribe unto thee : 
and not be proudly opinionated of myself ; but give 
all thanks and glory to thee for any good wherein 
thou hast made me to differ : not loving or intend- 
ing the praise of men, in doing the work of God ;■:, 
but performing all my offices, as one that is not only 
called, but in deed, thy humble servant. 

O discover me so to myself, that I may still walk 
humbly with my God, and be clothed with humili- 
ty : consider hew frail I am, as a creature : and 
how vile, as a sinner. Let me ever detest and, 
dread, and resist the pride that goes before destruc- 
tion ; and so humble myself under thy mighty hand, 
that thou mayest exalt me in due time. And for 
all the good Lhave ever performed or enjoyed, not 
unto me, G Lord, not unto me, but to thy name be 
all the praise and glory, humbly and heartily acknowl- 
edged and rendered, now and for evermore.. Amen*,, 

A Prayer for Mindfulness of God' *s Presence., 

OLORD, the infinite, incomprehensible God ! 
Thou art the high and holy Que, who inhab- 
itest eternity, and dwellest in the light which no man 
can approach to. . And from thy glorious throne 
in heaven thou lookest down upon all the inhabit- 
ants of the earth : and hast thy eyes in every place, 
and ponderest every thing. Though no mortal eye 



252 For Mindfulness of God's Presence. 

can see thee : no created understanding is able to 
comprehend thee : Yet thou art here, and every 
where present, and now and evermore thou seest us, 
and under standest our very thoughts afar off ; and 
art thoroughly acquainted with all our ways. Yea, 
thou art so universally observant, as to have a par- 
ticular concern for every person and action in the 
world. Great God, thou fillest heaven and earth 
with thy presence, O fill my heart with thy grace, 
and the mindfulness of thy presence with me ; that 
I may set the Lord always before me : and evermore 
remember thee in all my ways. 

O that ever I should forget God that made me t 
the God who quickens every thing that lives ; con- 
curs with every thing that moves ; and upholds ev- 
ery thing that has a being throughout the world ! O 
that I should live so much without thee in the world, 
in whom I ever live, and move, and am ! and who 
hast still been with me, and watchful for goc4l over 
me -all my days. Holy God, because I have regard- 
ed thee no more, thou mightest make me sensible 
of thy presence, in judgments worthy of thyself. 
But O Lord, in mercy pardon all such my sinful 
neglect and inadvertence. And as I am ever ex- 
posed to thy all- seeing eye, so make me ever duly 
aware of it. And let the remembrance of thy pre- 
sence sway and guide me, in secret and in compa- 
ny, at all times, in all places, and in all my actions : 
That I may demean myself as ever under the awful 
eyes of the great God of heaven and earth, and fear 
thee above all other powers ; love thee above all oth- 
er Gods, serve thee before all other Lords, and trust 
in thee more than in any other refuge. Yea r let me 
rejoice under the shadow of thy wings, and herein so- 
lace myself, that thou art at my right hand, and ever 
with me. O let not the remembrance of my Lord 



For Tenderness of Heart. 153 

be grievous to me ; but let my meditations of God 
be sweet, as well as frequent ; that delighting my- 
self in the Lord, thou mayest give unto me the de- 
sires of my heart ; and so guide me with thine eye,. 
that as I am still manifest, I may be also still ac- 
cepted in thy blessed sight, through Jesus Christ,, 
Amen* 

A Prayer for Tenderness of Heart. 

ALMIGHTY Lord, the God of all grace, who 
speakest to the heart, and it obeys thee ; and 
when it is grown callous and hard, canst make it 
soft and relenting ; and give sight and sense even to 
such as are blind and past feeling ! Gshevv the pow- 
er of thy heavenly grace, in working upon this stu- 
pid, insensible heart of mine, so as to make me 
know, both the evil of my sins, and the things of my 
peace- And be thou pleased to give me such a 
sight of my sins, such humiliation of soul,, and brok- 
enness of heart as may prepare me for all the pro- 
mised mercies of God in Jesus Christ. O Father of 
mercies ! punish not my past sins, by leaving me to, 
commit sin with greediness ; nor ever give me up 
to such blindness of mind, and hardness of heart, as 
shall render me senseless and incorrigible. But 
quicken and awake my dull soul into a lively sense 
of sin, and tenderness of conscience, and due appre- 
hension of my great and eternal concerns. O make 
me ever jealous over my heart, and watchful over 
my ways ; continually fearing to offend, and endeav- 
oring to please my God ; keeping my heart with all 
diligence, that it be not hardened through the deceit- 
fulness of sin ; and keeping at that distance which thy 
holy word teaches us to keep from every evil and. 
iiccursed thing that is provoking in thy sight and! 
destructive to my souk 



154 For the Fear of God. 

O let me not continue in sin, that grace may- 
abound ; nor kick against the bowels of mercy, that 
so long has borne with me, and been so abundantly 
good to me : But give me, O my God, such a ful- 
ness of new life as may beget in me a greater quick- 
ness of spiritual sense ; and make my conscience 
quick of feeling, even as the apple of my eye ; that 
I may so feel my sins, here, as to prevent my feeling 
of them for ever, when there shall be no remedy. 
From hardness of heart, and contempt of thy word 
and commandments, good Lord deliver me. And 
give me a heart so soft and tender, as to smite and 
correct me for every, even the least, sinful evil ; 
and to hold me back not only from gross and scan- 
dalous oifences, but from all that is suspicious, or 
that has a tendency to sin ; from the occasions of 
falling, and all appearances of evils. O let me so 
observe thee with child- like tenderness, and awful 
regard, all the days of my life, that I may not slav- 
ishly dread thee ; so as to be consumed with terrors 
in the great day of thy wrath, but may then receive 
the blessed portion of thy children, who lived still 
looking and preparing for the coming of our Lord 
Jesus Christ. Ameii 

A Prayer for the Fear of God. 

OLORD, the great and dreadful God, in whose 
hands is my time ; at whose mercy is my soul, 
and all that concerns me both now and for ever. 
Thou, even thou, art to be feared : and who may 
stand in thy sight when once thou art angry ! The 
fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom : and 
happy is the man that feareth always ! But to harden 
our hearts against thy fear, is not only folly and im- 
piety, but madness and ruin, I am afraid, O Lord,, 



For the Fear of God. 155 

because I have feared thee no more ; but have made 
so bold with thy glorious Majesty, and with thy ho- 
ly laws : who canst, whenever thou pleasest, avenge 
thee of thy adversaries, and kill and cast sinners in- 
to hell, that I have been so fearless in the ways of 
sin, where I should not have dared to be seen, and 
so timorous in the cause of God, where I should not 
have feared the face of any man. O absolve me, 
I beseech thee, good Lord, from all such guilt that 
lies upon me, and put thy fear into my heart, that I 
may never experience what a fearful thing it is to 
fall into thy hands. O incite my heart to fear thy 
name ! And let thy fear be ever before my eyes, 
to restrain me from the evil of my ways. O let me 
s© stand in awe of thee, that I may not dare to pro- 
voke thee. Let me not be so much afraid of any 
man that shall die, as of the Almighty ever-living 
God ; nor so fear any loss or suffering that can but 
take away a temporal good, as I fear the sin and 
wickedness that would deprive me of the good ev- 
erlasting. O let me fear the Lord and depart from 
evil ; and have my God in such regard, that I may 
not offer wilfully to violate thy holy laws, but fear 
to dishonor thy name, or to rebel against thy word^ 
or to rest short of what thou requirest at my hand. 
And O that thy fear may not only keep under some 
of my sins, but regulate my whole life, and sway my 
very heart ; that I may do thy will entirely from the 
heart, and go on to perfect holiness in the fear of 
God. 

May I fear thy name, and not blaspheme it ; fear 
thy wrath, and not provoke it ; fear thy word, and 
not despise it ; fear thy goodness, and not abuse it ; 
fear thy omniscience, and not make bold with secret 
sins ; fear thy omnipotence, and not strive with my 
Maker in any case. And give me, O my God, the 



156 Ibr the Love of God. 

right mixture of fear and faith, to keep me in an 
even temper, between presuming and despairing, that 
no crosses or evils coming upon me, may ever make 
my faith to fail or sink me down into such conster- 
nations as to unfit me for my duty ; and that no suc- 
cesses, and fair prospects of the world's good before 
me, may harden me into a wretched boldness with 
thee, nor lift me up into wantonness and stubborn- 
ness against thee ; but that I may keep up an awful 
regard of thy glorious Majesty, and a dutiful respect 
to all thy holy commands evermore. Amen, 

A Prayer for the Love of God. 

OTHOU infinite goodness and love, who art 
most sweet and amiable in thyself! and most 
full of invitation, for all thy own glorious excellen- 
cies, and unspeakable perfections ; and also for thy 
loving kindness, and all the wonders of thy mercy 
and bounty to thy creatures ! It is the riches of thy 
.grace to make us capable of this blessed privilege, 
to love thee : Beyond which the highest angels know 
no greater bliss.: Yea, thou hast not only given us 
capacities for it, but the greatest obligations to en- 
gage our hearts to it. Yet, after all the reasons and 
motives which we have to love our God, O how 
poor and defective has been my love ! Yea, in what 
strangeness, and enmity to thee, Lord, have I lived \ 
It is my sin and shame, and misery, to be so listless 
and backward to thy love. O my God, I have done 
foolishly and wickedly, in forsaking the fountain of 
living waters^ to hew to myself the broken cisterns, 
that can I: old no water ; shutting my heart against 
the love of my chiefest good, who hast still been 
doing me good ; and laid fresh obligations upon me 
with thy renewed favors every day : And preferring 



for the Love of God. 157 

anv trifles and vanities of this present time ; yea, 
and the satisfaction of my own foolish and hurtful 
lusts, above thee and thy love, which is better than 
•life. 

O good God, be thou pleased to pardon all the 
defects of my love to thee, and all the excesses of 
my love to earthly things ; and turn my inclinations 
and affections from all vain objects to thy blessed 
self, who art the worthiest of all love. And, to con- 
quer all my prejudice, and for ever win my heart, O 
shew thyself to me as a pardoning God : full of com- 
passion, ready to forgive and willing to save me. 
Yea, make me to know so much of the love where- 
with thou hast loved me, that I may make better 
returns of love to the gracious Giver of all my good. 
Touch my heart with such a powerful sense of thy 
loveliness and thy loving kindness, that I may ex- 
perience stronger desires and inclinations after thee, 
and greater complacence and delight in thee ; and 
may love all other things in comparison of my best 
and dearest Lord, as if I loved them not. 

The Lord direct my heart into the love of God ; 
and shed abroad and increase thy love in my heart, 
that I may love the Lord my God with all my heart 
and soul, and mind and might. O disgrace to me 
all such tempting things of the world as would draw 
away my love from thyself; and so discover thyself 
to my soul, as may take my heart : that this heart of 
mine which has been so cold and dull, and dead to 
thy love, may feel its mighty warmth and power ; and 
from complaining of the want, may come to re- 
joice in the abundance of it. O my life, my hope, 
and joy, that hast so much and eternally obliged 
me ! give me the grace and the power to love thee : 
Let me be still longing to appear before thee, and 
delight in the duties that bring me nigh to thee, and 
O 



158 A Prayer 

that help me to communion with thee. Increase my 
Jove to thy word, and to all the things of thy Spirit 
and grace ; and let me take more satisfaction and 
pleasure in the light of thy countenance than in the 
increase of corn and wine, and all the most desired 
enjoyments of this life. O let me not rest in the 
gifts, forgetting the bountiful Giver of every good 
thing, but draw and join my heart, dear Lord, still 
nearer to thy self with the cords of love. And togeth- 
er with all my enjoyments in the world, O let me en- 
joy still more of thee, my God ; in the enjoyment 
of whom consists all my true life, and peace, and 
happiness, here and for ever. Engage to thyself, O 
my Lord, the chief and choicest affections of my 
heart ; and take it, the willing captive of thy love : 
And help me still to verify my love of God, by hat- 
ing of evil, and keeping thy commands, and delight- 
ing to do thy will, O my God. Let the desire of 
my soul, the care of my heart, and the endeavor of 
my life, be to observe and please thee. And to se- 
cure my heart, Lord, to thee, that I may not turn 
away from thee ; but may be rooted and ground- 
ed in thy love ; and through thy good help and 
grace, may keep myself in the love of God, looking 
for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ to eternal 
life. Amen, 

A Prayer for Hope. 

OLORD God of hope, the blessed founder of 
all our great and glorious expectations ! thou 
hast promised thy people such bliss and glory as is 
not only above all our deserts to enjoy, but above 
all our very thoughts to conceive. Yet it is not too 
great for thy Almighty hand and thy boundless love 
to give : And because thou givest so like thyself ; 
and hast made preparations for thy people, answer- 



for Hope. 159 

able to thy own infinite greatness and goodness, 
therefore thou art not ashamed to be called their God. 
None has seen, or can tell, or think the things which 
thou, O God, hast laid up for them that love thee. 
But it is good to hope, and quietly wait for the sal- 
vation of the Lord. Even in dark days and peri- 
lous times, that make us know adversity, and threat- 
en us still with more j yet patiently to wait for what 
we hope, till he that hides his face from us cause 
the light of his countenance to break out upon us. 

O my God ! give me such a hope as may lift up 
my head and strengthen my heart, and embolden 
my spirit, against all temptations and discourage- 
ments of the present time ; that I may never yield 
to any consternations, so as to destroy my faith and 
hope, and unfit me for my work and thy service. 

give me for a helmet the hope of salvation ; that 
hope which may be as the anchor of my soul, sure 
and steadfast. O let me hope and praise thee more 
and more ! and rejoice in the hope that leaveth not 
ashamed : yea, and hold fast the rejoicing of my 
hope firm to the end. 

And though I am sinful and unworthy, yet let 
me hope in the Lord, with whom is mercy, and 
plenteous redemption, to redeem his people from all 
their iniquities. O gracious God, infinitely good 1 

1 could have no hope but in thy tender mercies in 
thy beloved Son, and in thy faithful promises ; 
which do give assurance of pardon and acceptance 
to all that humbly and believingly apply themselves 
to thee, in the name and mediation of Jesus Christ. 
But I beseech thee, O Lord, remember thy word 
to thy servant, upon which thou hast caused me to 
hope. O seal me with that Holy Spirit of promise, 
which is the earnest of our inheritance, that I may 
abound in hope, through the power of the Holy 



160 A Prayer for Chanty. 

Ghost. O let Christ in me be my hope of glory : 
And having this hope in me, help me to purify my- 
self, as my Lord is pure, that my hopes may be ra- 
tional and well-grounded hopes, to see and enjoy the 
Lord, and to live in thy kingdom and glory most 
blessed for evermore. Amen. 

A Prayer for Charity. 

OMOST gracious and merciful Lord our God, 
who art very goodness and love itself ; thou 
hast commanded, that he who loveth thee should 
love his brother also ! yea, that we should love our 
neighbor as ourselves. Father of mercies, forgive 
me all my sins of uncharitableness ; and give me a 
heart to abound with loving kindness to all the par- 
takers of my nature, that are the work of thy hands, 
and sharers in my hope. Let me not despise any for 
their low estate, nor hate any for their abusive car- 
riage, nor cast off any as reprobate, for their scandal- 
ous wickedness ; but be kindly affectioned unto all ; 
desirous of their holiness and happiness, and contri- 
buting what lies in me to promote it ; shewing the 
mercy which thou knowest I need ; and forgiving 
others as I myself desire to be forgiven ; yea, ready 
to distribute and willing to communicate. And as I 
would be glad to find favor and receive supply of 
my own wants, give me, O gracious God, a large 
heart, and according to my ability, an open hand, that 
I may give cheerfully, and sow plentifully while I 
have time, doing good unto all men, especially to 
them that are of the household of faith ; yea loving 
the opportunities of such well doing ; and blessing 
thy name, who hast so blest and enabled me ; and 
refreshing my own bowels, in making the loins of 
the poor to bless me. 



A Prayer for" Unity: 161 

And, O that we may all approve ourselves the dis- 
ciples of our Lord, by the love we have one for ano- 
ther ; and shew that we are passed from death to life, 
because we love the brethren and bear the greatest 
kindness to the children of God 5 ever esteeming 
and respecting them above all ; and tendering such as 
nearest and dearest to us that are so to thy blessed 
self. O let our love be without dissimulation ; not 
only in word and in tongue, but in deed and in truth ; 
loving one another with a pure heart, fervently ; 
loving even the worst, so as to wish them well, and 
seek their good : and having our delight in the 
saints that are in the earth, and the righteous that are 
more excellent than their neighbors ! loving them for 
thy holy image and Spirit appearing in them ! and set- 
ting our hearts upon them, because thou art with 
them, and hast a peculiar favor to them, and with an 
everlasting love hast loved them. O Lord of love, 
keep me from censoriousness, and rash judging of 
any ; that I may think and hope the best of all, which 
their case will admit : and love every one for his sake 
who has shewed the greatest love to us all, even our 
dearest Lord, and only Saviour, Jesus Christ. Amen. 

A Prayer for Unity* 

GOD of the spirits of all flesh, who hast made 
of one blood all nations of men, to dwell on 
the face of the whole earth ! wilt thou make us to 
agree in mind and affection as we do in nature and 
constitution, and give to all nations unity, peace and 
concord. And as thou hast called the faithful, all 
throughout the world, into one body, so make the 
multitude of believers, as once they were, of one 
heart, and of one soul, Q let not the seamless coat 
of Christ be torn in pieces ; nor thy church be rent 
O 2 



162 A Prayer for Meekness*. 

into schisms and contending parties, fierce and bit- 
ter against one another ; but make us one fold and 
unanimous flock under Jesus Christ, the great Shep- 
herd and Bishop of our souls. O put a healing 
plaister on our bleeding wounds ; and let not those 
invidious names of sides, and parties that exasperate, 
be kept up, to give distaste and prejudice ; but take 
away from the midst of us that perverse spirit, which 
makes us a nation void of counsel ; and not under- 
standing the things of our peace ; but dashing our- 
selves one against another. O God of peace ! dis- 
pose our hearts to hearken to all peaceable counsels, 
and to comply with all healing designs. And to al- 
lay the heats which our dissentions have raised, that 
amidst the variety of apprehensions, we may yet keep 
the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace ; and 
evidence - our relation to the Prince of Peace, by 
following after those things that make for peace. 

O Lord, rebuke the storms of our animosities and 
debates ; and say to those winds and waves, peace, 
be still, and they will obey thee. O wilt thou heal 
our breaches, and give us first the true peace with 
God, as the foundation for a firm and lasting peace 
with one another. O that the uniting Spirit of 
Christ Jesus may so far prevail upon us, as to draw 
and knit us together in the blessed communion of 
thy saints ^ that we may with combined wills and 
interest ; as one man, put forth ourselves to ad- 
vance the glory of thy name, the public good, and 
the common salvation of all our souls, through thy 
rich mercy to us in our blessed Peace Maker, Jesus 
Christ. Amen, 



o 



A Prayer for Meekness and Peaeeableness. 

ALMIGHTY God, who alone canst order 
the unruly wills and affections of sinful men ! 



A Prayer for Meekness. 163 

wilt thou be pleased to regulate my exorbitant pas- 
sions, and suppress in me that pride from whence 
cometh contention ; and beat down every rebellious 
motion that exalts itself against peace and patience, 
and gentleness and meekness of Spirit 1 O help me 
to put away all bitterness and wrath, and anger, and 
clamor, and evil speaking, with all malice. And 
however I am tempted and provoked, O that I may- 
possess my soul in patience ; and not be overcome 
with evil, but overcome evil with good : And ena- 
ble us, O God of patience, to bear one another's 
burdens, and to forbear one another in love, that we 
may not contend but for the faith of Christ ; nor 
strive but to enter in at the strait gate ; nor provoke 
one another, but unto love and good works. 

O if thou the great God shouldst enter into judg- 
ment with me, and break out in fury upon me, as I 
have been ready to take fire at affronts, and to fall with 
rage upon my antagonists, Lord, how soon should 
I be consumed,, and sink under the saddest mis- 
ery, past recovery I O may I ever dread to be rigid 
and cruel, who know the extreme need that I have of 
mercy I And thou the God of peace and love, for- 
give me, I beseech thee, all the sins that ever I have 
committed against peace and love. O let the peace 
of God rule in my heart ; and thy w T onderful long- 
suffering of me be ever an engagement upon me to 
shew all meekness to all men ; and bear the igno- 
rance and weakness, the follies and mistakes, the 
w r rongs and indignities of my fellow creatures ; see- 
ing I myself am undone, without the forbearance of 
God, and having nothing to hop^ for, and to com- 
fort myself in, but the finding of such favor at thy 
hands. 

Q teach and help us all to live in peace, and to 
love in truth ; follow peace with all men, and 



164 £ Prayer 

walking in love as Christ loved us, that we may be 
united and knit together as fellow members of the 
same body, whereof he is the glorious head ; who, 
though extremely wronged and provoked, yet did 
not cry, nor lift up, nor cause his voice to be heard 
in the streets. Of whom let me learn such meek- 
ness and lowliness of heart, that in him I may find 
rest for my soul. O my God ! suppress all bitter 
resentments in my mind ; and let the law of kind- 
ness be in my tongue, and a meek and quiet spirit 
showing itself in all the conduct of my life. And, 
Lord, make us all so gentle and peaceable, and easy 
to be entreated, and hard to be provoked, that we 
may be followers of God, as dear children ; and that 
thou, the God of peace, mayest be with us, and de- 
light to dwell among us, and rejoice over us, to do us 
good for thy mercy's sake, in Jesus Christ. Amen, 

A Prayer under Abuses and Provocations* 

MOST high and wise, holy and righteous 
Judge of all the earth, the great Author 
and lover of peace and truth ! thou knowest my 
foolishness, and my sins are not hid from thee, — ■ 
How far I have been accessary to pull down these 
troubles and mischiefs upon my own head ; and 
how much worse than any of these I deserve at thy 
hands, is all naked and open to thine eyes. I sub- 
mit, Lord, to thy correction, who dost often use 
such instruments of thy displeasure. And O that 
the ill-will of men may quicken me the more to ex- 
amine myself for that which is offensive in thy 
sight ; and make me more careful to have my heart 
right with God ; and to ingratiate myself with hea- 
ven : which will more than recompence for the loss 
of any one's favor in the world. 






tinder Abuses and Provocations. 165 

But seeing my heart condemns me not in the 
present case, for being the cause of all this wrath 
and clamor, and malice and vengeance ; and herein 
I apprehend myself now to suffer wrongfully, being 
slanderously reported, falsely accused, shamefully 
and despitefully used, and hated without a cause ; 
I take the boldness to pour out my complaint before 
thee, O God, and to shelter myself under the sha- 
dow of thy wings. Plead my cause, O Lord, with 
them that strive with me j and save me from those 
that rise up against me. Though for my love, they 
are my adversaries, let me give myself to prayer ; 
and not avenge myself, but give place unto wrath, 
and commit my cause to thee that judgeth right- 
eously. O convince my adversaries of the error 
they are in y and turn them from the ill- way they 
are upon t And the remainder of their wrath, O do 
thou restrain, and here make me a way to escape, as 
thou hast so often been my help. 

I confess, O Lord, thou mighest justly use them 
that provoke me, as thy scourge to chastise me, for 
provoking thee ; and I know not but such may 
now be thy pleasure. O help me then patiently to 
bear the indignation of the Lord ; because I have 
so greatly sinned against thee ; and however I am 
pursued and struck at, O let me not render evil for 
evil, nor railing for railing, but contrariwise, bless- 
ing ; considering him that endured so great contra- 
diction of sinners against himself, that I be not wea- 
ried and faint in my mind. If the man after thy 
own heart had so many bitter implacable enemies, 
that not only traduced his name, but sought his 
life ; if thy holy apostle was called a babbler and 
troubler of the world, and a pestilent fellow, not fit 
to live ; yea, if the Son of thy eternal love had the 
report of a wine- bibber, a friend, of publicans and 



166 A Prayer 

sinners, a deceiver of the people, and a dealer with 
the devil ; if he that deserved so well of men, fared 
so ill at their hands ; if he that did no sin was per- 
secuted, as if he had been the chief of sinners ; if 
he suffered so much evil, who never deserved any, 
O why should such an unworthy sinful wretch as I, 
to whom belongs confusion of face, and the worst 
punishment, so heinously resent it as insufferable, 
to be set at nought, and but to endure the correction 
of my own wickedness ; though I deserve it not 
from them, yet, how much worse do I deserve from 
thy heavenly Majesty, offended by my sins, who 
mayest justly pay me by their hands. Let men then 
say, or do what they can against me, O let me be 
as a deaf man that heareth not ; and as a dumb man 
that opens not his mouth ; little regarding the anger 
of man, if I can but be happy in the favor of my 
God. O Lord keep back thy servant from giving 
any just provocation ; and let me not suffer as an 
evil doer ; nor let the woe be to me, because offence 
cometh by me ; and then when persecuted for 
righteousness' sake, I shall rejoice and bless thy 
name, and give thee thanks and praise for all thy 
grace and goodness to me, in Jesus Christ. 
Amen. 

A Prayer under Infamy and Disgrace, 

OLORD ! righteousness belongs to thee ; but 
to me confusion of face, as it is this day. — 
Shame is the portion of my sins ; and I deserve no 
better than to be slighted and despised myself, who 
have so slighted thy laws, and despised the glorious 
Majesty of heaven. If I had been innocent, I might 
have been confident to lift up my face without spot ; 
but woe is me that I have sinned, to make myself 



under Infamy and Disgrace. 167 

vile, and fit only to be trampled on. As far as I am 
obnoxious and guilty, I take shame to myself as 
the reward of my folly and wickedness. And O 
that I may so feel it here, that I may not hereafter 
awake to shame and everlasting contempt. And let 
not any that wait on thee, O Lord God of hosts, 
be ashamed for my sake : yea, where I suffer wrong- 
fully, yet Lord help me to take it patiently. Though 
I am reproached for the name of Christ, and perse- 
cuted for righteousness' sake, let me not droop un- 
der the censures and scorns of men, if I can but find 
acceptance and favor in thy sight. Seeing it is not 
men's applause or reproach, that can make us happy 
or miserable, though we have their good opinion and 
commendation, we are never the better when out 
with heaven : and though we have lost ourselves 
with them, we are never the worse, when we ap- 
prove ourselves to Him that searcheth our hearts.— » 
Thy word, O Lord, gives us encouragement, suf- 
fering as Christians, that we should not be ashamed, 
but glorify thee on this behalf. And thy apostles 
who were made as the 'filth of the world ; and the 
offscouring of all things, rejoiced that they were 
counted worthy to suffer shame for the name of Je- 
sus. Though I pass through evil report as well as 
good ; O what a small thing it is to be judged of 
man's judgment ! And if thou, my God, wilt 
have me to be low in the world, yea, even a hissing 
and proverb of reproach, let me bear thy indignation, 
and submit to thy correction ; not so much con- 
cerned for the disgrace, as to remove the cause ; 
and be more careful and diligent to please the Lord, 
and to seek the honor that is of God. 

If men speak evil of what they understand not, 
and perverse scoffers, walking after their own lusts, 
oppose and deride me, contradicting and blasphem- 



168 A Prayer 

ing thy truths, O let not thy holy religion ever sink 
in my thoughts for any of their hard speeches, or 
coarse usage; but looking unto Jesus, the Sun of 
righteousness, that once lay under clouds, the Lord 
of glory, who bore such reproach and infamy, who 
heard ill from the world though he never did evil in 
his life ; and was despised and rejected of men, though 
he deserved so much better than ever any did from 
then, ; let me little regard what names they call any 
of his household, who can call the master of the house 
as bad. But may I still follow v my blessed Saviour, in 
meekness and patience : having my eyes and de- 
pendence upon the great Author and Finisher of our 
faith ; who first despising, and then surmounting 
the shame, art now set down at the right hand of the 
Majesty on high : and from thence shall come in 
great glory to judge the world : whose name be 
ever blessed, world without end. Amen, 

A Prayer for our Enernies. 

OLORD of love, the Prince of peace, thou hast 
told us, that thou earnest to send a sword 
and fire upon earth ; and that it must needs be, that 
offences come. Even the best of men, in passing 
through this tumultuous world are often jostled and 
evil entreated. And if it be the lot of thy own holy 
followers to have hatred and tribulation in the world, 
O what am I, vile sinner, that I should look to be 
exempted from this common portion ! Such as I 
have made my enemies, by my folly and miscar- 
riage, Lord, incline and enable me to appease and 
gain them ; and so direct my ways to please thee, 
that thou mayest make them be at peace with 
me. And such as are my enemies wrongfully, 
Lord lay not this sin to their charge, but forgive 



under Crosses, &V. 169 

them, and open their eyes, and pacify their minds, 
and turn their hearts, that they may see their error, 
and first be reconciled unto God, and then live with 
their brethren, in unity and godly love ; and that, at 
last, I may meet them in the arms of Jesus Christ : 
and those that will not cease from hating, Lord pre- 
vent them from hurting me ; or, though they do me 
hurt, let me endeavor to do them good ; and not 
hate but love my enemies, for thy sake who hast 
commanded us to love them ; and who didst ex- 
press the highest love to us in dying for us, even 
when we were thy enemies. Let me consider 
them as thy rod, and the staff of thy indignation, in 
all that I suffer from them, that instead of striving to 
avenge myself, I may submit to thy hand. 

O, good Lord ! mortify in all of us the carnal 
mind, that is enmity against God, and those lusts 
that war in our members, from whence come wars 
and fightings amongst us. Turn all our enmity 
against the common enemies of our souls; and join 
all our hearts to thee, in thy true fear and love, and 
that we may not meditate revenge, but study to be 
quiet ; nor foment and pursue our quarrels, but fol- 
low after the things that make for peace ; and with 
one mind, and with one mouth, glorify our God, 
through Jesus Christ. Amen. 

A Prayer under Crosses and Disappointments in 
our Affairs. 

OMY Lord ! I live by thee, and do continual- 
ly depend upon thee, for life and breath and 
all things. Thy providence has appointed my sta- 
tions, and disposes whatever concerns me in the 
world ; if not so much as a sparrow falls on the 
ground without thee, and the very hairs of our head 
P 



170 A Prayer 

are all numbered ; thou canst not be unconcerned 
in the changes and accidents that befal thy ser- 
vants : and whatever instruments and occasions have 
been in the way, it is thy pleasure, that so it should 
be with me as it is. Restrain me, therefore, O 
Lord, from fretting myself to do evil. And help me 
to take up my cross, and follow my meek and low- 
ly Saviour, in self denial and quiet submission to the 
will of my heavenly Father. 

O, who am I, sinful wretch, who have so much 
displeased thee, that I should never be crossed, nor 
have any thing to trouble me ! Thy will be done, O 
Lord, how much soever it goes against flesh and 
blood. And let me ever design thy glory, and en- 
deavor to conform to thy pleasure, whether it make 
for or against me in any respects of this life. O that 
I may learn obedience, by the things which I suffer ; 
that I may not be worse, but better in my spiritual 
concerns, for these rubs and disappointments in mat- 
ters of the world. And O that the adverse things 
which interrupt and trouble me in my designs and 
enterprises here, may turn all to the glory of thy- 
mine, and to the furtherance of my comfortable 
accounts in the hour of death, and in the great day 
of our Lord Jesus Christ. Amen. 

A Prayer under Losses and Damage in our Goods 
and Estate. 

iLESSED Lord ! thou art the great proprietor 
and owner of whatever we have to enjoy : The 
world is thine, and the fulness thereof : Thou givest 
and thou takest away : blessed be thy name in all. 
Thou hast made me abound in many things which 
others are destitute of ; and if thou also makest me 
want what others abound with, yet teach me, my r 



for Loss of Liberty. 171 

God, how to be abased, and to suffer need, as well 
as how to abound : and in whatsoever estate I am, 
therewith to be content : Seeing all these things 
come alike to all j and no one knows love or hatred, 
by what is here before him. And as it will profit 
a man nothing to gain the whole world and lose 
his own soul, so all the losses in the world cannot 
undo him, whose soul is safe in thy hands. O let 
me not grieve, therefore, as if I were undone, for 
what I have lost ; but cheerfully commit myself to 
thee, to chose my inheritance for me ; and be least 
of all concerned for my worldly portion, so that I 
may but see the joy of thy salvation. And Lord re- 
pair to me these damages, in an infinitely better way, 
out of thy own fulness, with the more precious things 
that accompany salvation ; that I may imitate thy 
holy servants of old, who took joyfully the spoiling 
of their goods, as knowing that they had in heaven 
a better and an enduring substance. O make me 
now the more solicitous and industrious to lay up my 
treasure in heaven ; when I see how little any thing 
is to be confided in here on earth. O let me look 
less upon these temporal things that are seen ; and 
be most of all concerned that I lose not the blessed 
things eternal, but provide so well for my soul, and 
be so rich towards God, that when all here shall fail 
me, thou may est never fail me, but be the strength 
of my heart, and my portion for evermore. Amen. 

A Prayer under Confinement and Loss of Liberty. 

LORD my God, infinitely kind and good ! I 
have through thy gracious indulgence long 
enjoyed my freedom in the world ; and been per- 
mitted to go in and out, v whither I would, at my 
pleasure ; but now that I am under restraint, and 



172 A Prayer 

confined to this place, O how much sorer affliction 
ought I with patience to endure for turning my li- 
berty into licentiousness, and flying out, as I have 
done, into wild excesses and disorders, to wander 
from thee and weary myself in the ways of wicked- 
ness ! This confinement I acknowledge to be but 
the easy correction of my extravagance, who deserve 
to be shut up in the eternal prison from whence there 
is no redemption ; but for thy dear Son, my bless- 
ed Saviour's sake, I beg, Lord, that this restraint 
may not be in judgment but in mercy to me, that 
it may bring me to the consideration and repentance 
of all those vicious liberties which I have taken, to 
live after my own foolish and hurtful lusts ; and that 
it may remove me out of the way of such tempta- 
tions and opportunities of sinning against thee, and 
engage me more closely and dutifully to attend upon 
thee, that in thy service I may find a better freedom 
than the freedom which I have lost ; having free acr 
cess into thy presence and boldness at the throne of 
grace, and deliverance from the bondage of my sins, 
and power to tread down the enemies of my soul, and 
to bring them under, that have reigned over me. 

O that I may now be crucified to the world, as 
well as sequestered from it, that I may not be turn- 
ed off with regret and a heavy heart, but may leave 
it in affection, as I am now shut out from its conver- 
sation ; that I may in heart and mind ascend and 
dwell above, and have my conversation in heaven. 
and such fellowship with thee, my God and Saviour, 
which I may infinitely prefer above all the society 
and enjoyments of the world. If the Son of God 
shall make me free, I shall be free indeed. O bring 
my soul out of prison, the horrible pit of my sins 
and fears, that I may not there be kept in durance 
to the judgment of the great day ; and I will then 



^ 



under sad Accidents ', &fc. 173 

praise thy name, let my body be shut -up in ever so 
narrow a compass. O set my feet in such a large 
room, my affections at liberty to enjoy thy infinite 
Self, and to expatiate in thy heavenly kingdom, that 
is boundless and everlasting ; and make me a fellow 
citizen with the saints, and of the household of God ; 
and then, though I lie in a jail, and in a grave, yet 
I shall be a prisoner of hope, looking for that bless- 
ed hope, to be delivered from the bondage of cor- 
ruption, into the glorious liberties of the children of 
God ; even for his sake, who, for. ours, was appre- 
hended and confined, and put to death, and laid in 
the grave, and now liveth and reigneth with thy 
eternal Self, and Holy Spirit, over all, God blessed 
for evermore. Amen. 

A Prayer under sad Accidents and Disasters falling 
an the Body. 

OLORD, Most High ! the all-disposing God ! 
thou hast taught us, that affliction rises not 
out of the dust, nor comes by chance, without thy ' 
appointment ; but is the messenger dispatched on 
thy errands, who hast an over-ruling hand in all the 
disasters that befal us, whatever else be the occasion 
of our hurts : and still thou hast good reason to do 
as thou dost, though the reason may be hid Irani us. 
I know, O Lord, that thy judgments are right, and 
that thou in faithfulness hast afflicted me. O why 
should a living man complain, a man for the punish- 
ment of his sins ? Great God ! I humbly submit to 
thy hand, and will bear the effects of thy displeasure, 
which I have pulled down upon myself, O my 
Lord, give me patience, and strength, and grace 
proportionable to this great trial ; and enable me so 
to demean myself under it, that after the affliction I 
P 2 



174 A Prayer 

may find cause to say, it was good for me to be af: 
flicted. Thou that hast torn and smitten, thou . 
alone art able to heal, and bind up my breaches ! O 
wilt thou remember me in my low estate, out of that 
mercy of thine which endurest for ever ; and help 
me to find out the cursed things that have provoked 
thee so to stretch out thy hand upon me. O that 
I may search and try my ways, and turn to the 
Lord, and bring forth fruits meet for repentance ; 
and for his sake who was wounded for our transgres- 
sions, and bruised for our iniquities, Lord forgive, 
and heal my soul that has sinned against thee ; and 
in good time, repair the breaches made upon my 
body too, if it seem good in thy sight, and make me 
to hear joy and gladness, that the bones which thou 
hast broken may rejoice. 

If thou wilt, Lord, thou canst make me whole. 
O may it be thy gracious pleasure to work so won- 
derfully for me, and glorify thy power and mercy in 
my help and recovery ; or however thou shalt dis- 
pose of this vile body, grant me, O my God, an 
humble resignation to thy will, and satisfaction with 
thy dealings, and make this sad dispensation which 
is so grievous for the time, gracious in the issue, 
O make it the messenger of thy love to my soul, and 
the means of converting and sanctifying it, and pre- 
paring it for the Lord, and fitting it to receive all the 
saving mercies of God, in Jesus Christ. Ameiu 

A Prayer for a blind Man. 

OLORD our God I thou art light, and in thee 
is no darkness at all ; thou hast created the 
light and the sun, and givest both the power of see- 
ing and objects to be seen : it is a pleasant thing to 
behold the light ; but of that sweet benefit thou hast 



for a blind Man. ; 175 

thought fit to deprive thy servant. O blessed be 
thy name, even taking away as well as giving,, for 
thou art wise and just, and good in all ; every thing 
that happens to us is of thy appointment, Lord of 
all y who hast made us, and mayest do what thou wilt 
with thy own ; yet there is no unrighteousness with 
God ; but whatever thou dost, is meet and right to 
be done, though many of thy providential ways are 
here in the dark to all as now all thy visible works 
are darkness to thy servant - r yea, Lord, thou art gra- 
cious in all that thou bringest upon us ; and canst 
v *bring the greatest good even out of the worst evil 
that befals us ; and thyself art infinitely better to all 
thy servants than their eyes ? and all the things that 
ever eyes beheld. 

Thy servant here desires, with meekness and pa* 
tienee, to submit to thy heavy stroke^ and confesses 
that thou art justin quenching that light of his eyeSj 
which he did not use as he ought to thy glory. 

But wilt thou, O gracious Lord, in judgment re- 
member mercy ; and bless to him this thy afflicting 
hand upon him, that it may promote his repentance 
and peace with God ,~ and may cut off all the occa- 
sions of worse stumbling and falling, than any where- 
to his present darkness may expose him ; that so 
many temptations, which enter in at the eyes, being 
taken away, he, freed from those interruptions and 
distractions, may better attend on the Lord, and be 
more intent upon the concernspf the soul; and more 
curious and exact in looking inward to the things be= 
tween God and his heart ; and in pressing after a 
belter light than that which thou hast taken from 
him. Lord, as thou hast shewed thy sovereignty 
and justice, in taking away his sight, so let thy work 
of power and mercy be made manifest, both in min- 
istering comforts to him, and enabling him content- 



176 A Prayer 

ediv and cheerfully to bear up under the loss ; and 
also making it up to him in so much a better way, 
that he may b~ a gainer by it in his spiritual affairs, 
and what pertains to Ires everlasting bliss. O good 
God ! bring him out of the sinful darkness into thy 
marvellous light, that he may be light in the Lord, 
though he wants the light of this world. 

O thou Father of lights, enlighten the eyes of his 
understanding, that he may see what is the hope of 
thy calling, and what the riches of die glory of thy 
inheritance in the saints, and what the mighty power 
of thy Spirit which works in them that do believe. 
Now that he cannot behold the temporal things, O 
that he may be more earnest in looking after the un- 
seen things which are eternal ; in looking to Jesus, 
and minding the things of his peace and studying the 
mysteries of salvation, and the wonders of thy iove, 
and the glories of thy kingdom, O thou Giver of all 
grace ! give him the eye of faith and spiritual dis- 
cerning, to see him that is invisible, whom no mor- 
tal eye hath seen or can see. Gracious Lord, dis- 
cover thyself still more and more to him, and reveal 
thy Son to him, and teach and guide him, and enter- 
tain him with thoughts and considerations pertinent 
to his condition ; and let thy good Spirit, as a coun- 
sellor and comforter, still abide in 'him, and bring to 
his mind, and work upon his heart, all things that 
shall make for his edification and encouragement in 
thy holy ways ; have compassion upon him, O Lord, 
and be gracious and kind to him, and do all that thou 
knowest needful and good for him, and lead him, 
and help him on continually, till in thy light, lie shall 
see light, and have his eyes opened at the last to see 
the splendor of thy kingdom, and all the joy of thy 
salvation ; yea to see thy glorious face, to see thee 
as thou art, and to know as he is known in that hea~ 



under grievous Pains* 177 

venly presence of thine, where is fulness of joy % 
there to be with the Lord, and to enjoy thy sight 
and love, and blessed self, world without end. 
Amen, 

A Prayer under grievous Pains,, 

OLORD, thou art a merciful God, and dost 
not afflict willingly, nor grieve the children of 
men, when the necessity of our case calls for sharp 
applications ; thou chastisest us for our profit, that 
we may be partakers of thy holiness. Blessed is 
the man whom thou chasteneth, O Lord, and teach - 
est him out of thy law ! O that it may be in much 
mercy to the soul of thy servant, that thy hand is so 
hard upon him at present ! Now that thou hast cast 
him into the furnace, O that it may be a means' to 
purge out his dross, and to fit him for thy acceptable 
use and service. O that he may learn such things 
in the school of affliction, as may stand him in steady 
and do him good for ever. 

But thou, O God of consolation, who knowest 
our frame, and how little it is that we can endure, 
though it be so much that we deserve, be pleased to 
remember him in mercy y and make his sufferings 
less, or thy grace in him, and his patience and spir- 
itual strength, greater than ail his sufferings. O take 
the load off him or lighten it to him, or enable him 
to bear what thou art pleased to lay upon him. — 
Lor$, all his desire is before thee, and his groaning 
is not hid from thee. O regard his affliction when 
thou hearest his cry ; and enter not into judgment 
with him according to the desert of his sins ; but 
according to thy mercy remember thou him, for thy 
goodness sake in Jesus Christ. O gracious Father, 
sanctify to him what thou hast laid upon him, thai 



178 A Prayer 

the present sore evil may have a comfortable issue, 
and work for his spiritual and eternal good ; and the 
Lord support, and bear him up under it, and bring 
him safe and happily out of it, to the rejoicing of thy 
servant, and the glory of thy name ; and however 
thou shalt deal with him, O good Lord, suppress all 
his repinings at thy dealings, that he may not so sin 
as to charge God foolishly, who never dost the thing 
but what is most righteous and fit to be done ; yet 
nothing but what thy servant shall once have cause 
to bless and praise thee for doing : but teach and 
help him to glorify God in the time of his visitation, 
by his humble submission to thy will, his patient 
abiding to thy hand, and his faithful reformation un- 
der it, that thou mayest return with the visitations of 
thy love, and restore ease and comfort to him, and 
shew him the joy of thy salvation, for thy own mer- 
cy's sake in Jesus Christ. Amen. 

A Prayer under dangerous Sickness. 

OLORD God Almighty, and ever blessed, in 
whom we all ever live, and move and are ; we 
acknowledge it to be of thy mercies we are not 
consumed, because thy compassions fail not. If 
thou hadst, long before this time, cut us oft' in our 
sins, and shut us up under final despair of thy mer- 
cy, yet righteous hadst thou been, O Lord ; and 
how justly mightest thou now refuse to hear us call- 
ing upon thee in our prayers as we so often have 
refused to hear thee calling upon us by the motions 
of thy Holy Spirit ; but thou art God, and not man ; 
and thy thoughts, are not as our thoughts, nor thy 
ways as our ways ; but as the heavens are higher 
than the earth, so are thy thoughts and thy ways 
above ours. Thou art our refuge and strength, and 



under dangerous Sickness* 17$ 

present help in time of need and trouble ; in which 
times thou hast commanded us to call upon thee, 
and hast promised to hear us, and to give us cause to 
praise and glorify thee for thy goodness and mercy 
to us. 

And now we come to thee, O Lord our God, in 
behalf of this thy servant, that lies here in a low and 
distressed state, under thy chastened hand. Look 
down we beseech thee, mercifully upon him : and 
be thou gracious and favorable to him, according to 
the } multitude of thy tender mercies in Christ Jesus ; 
in as great danger as he is, yet if thou wilt, O Lord, 
thou canst set him up, and make him whole : if 
thou but speak the word, the thing will be done. — • 
And in submission to thy most wise and good dispo- 
sal of all things, we would beg this mercy at thy 
hands, that thou wouldst be pleased to rebuke his 
distemper, to remove thy stroke, and cause the bitter 
cup which thou hast given him to pass away from 
him7 and make him a way to escape out of the af- 
fliction that is upon him, and to this end, that thou 
wouldst direct to the means proper for his help, and 
command a blessing upon them to promote his re- 
covery. Spare him, good Lord, and restore him if 
it be thy will, that he may have a long time to work 
out his salvation, and be more useful in his place, 
and do more good in his generation ; or however 
thou shall be pleased to deal with him as to the con- 
cerns of his body, which we pray may be in a way 
of gentleness and tender mercy ; yet Lord, let his 
soul be ever precious in thy sight ; and ma\ this 
sickness of his body be for the health of that im- 
mortal better part, to promote his salvation everlast- 
ing. 

O give him a right discerning of the things be- 
longing to his peace, before they be hid from his 



1 80 A Prayer 

eyes ; shew him what he is to do ; enable him for the 
doing of it, that he may have the sound peace with 
God, through Jesus Christ ; give him the true re- 
pentance towards God, and the right faith in the on- 
iy Saviour of the world ; wash and cleanse his soul 
with the blood of thy Son, and the graces of thy 
Spirit, that it may be delivered from all defilements 
it has contracted in this present evil world, and be 
-found safe and happy in the hour of death, and in 
the great day of our Lord Jesus Christ. Fit him, 
O Lord, for living or dying, whatever in thy wise and 
righteous providence thou hast designed for him, 
that it may be unto him Christ to live, and gain to 
die ; that in all, he may find cause to glorify thy 
name, still experiencing thy gracious goodness to 
him in the Son of thy love : if thou shalt please yet 
to release him from his bed of languishing, to live 
longer upon earth, O that he may live to thee in thy 
fear, and to thy praise, and do thee better service, 
and bring thee greater glory ; or, if thou hast deter- 
mined that this sickness shall be a sickness unto 
death ; and this visitation his last visitation, prepare 
him, O merciful God, by thy grace, for thy blessed 
self; and grant him a safe and comfortable passage 
out of this wretched life, to an infinitely better, 
through che merits and mediation of thy beloved 
Son, our only Saviour, Jesus Christ. Amen. 

A Prayer under lingering Sickness. 

OGOOD God, thou hast long kept thy ser- 
vant under thy chastening hand ; thou hast 
made him acquainted with grief, and his sickness 
is become even his own familiar companion ; yet 
O blessed Lord, grant that we may not think it 
long to wait thy leisure, who art pleased to wait so 



wider lingering Sickness. 131 

long For the return of a sinner : and who art very 
pitiful and of tender mercy, having kind intentions, 
even in thy bitter dispensations ; yea, chastenest 
whom thou lovest, and scourgest every son whom 
thou recervest. Teach him, O gracious Father, to 
see love in thy rod, as well as justice in all thy deal- 
ings, that he may humble himself under thy mighty 
hand, and also think it good for him to be afflicted: 
and patiently wait for the Lord, in hope of good out 
of this evil, and at last a happy conclusion of the 
long visitation* Blessed be thy name, O Father of 
mercies, that thou dost not pour out all thy wrath ; 
but in judgment rememberest mercy, to make the 
affliction supportable, giving some ease and relaxa- 
tion from torturing pains, and mingling many sw r eet 
ingredients with this bitter cup. O make him so 
sensible of thy kindness and love, that he may be 
not only contented, but thankful under thy hand. 

Yet, that his faith may not fail, nor his patience 
be wearied out, return, G Lord of love, at the last, 
and give thy servant a discharge from this warfare ; 
and say to the affliction, it is enough. Make him 
glad, according to the time wherein thou hast afflic- 
ted, and wherein he has seen so much adversity : 
and till thou hast been pleased to remember him in 
such mercy, O grant that he may neither despise 
thy chastening, nor faint under thy rebukes ; but 
take all as he ought, and employ the time which 
thou lendest, and improve the affliction which thou 
continuest, as a gracious opportunity for his soul's 
advantage; that under the decays of the outer man 
the inner may be renewed day by day ; and all that 
is wanting in his spiritual concerns may be filled up, 
and whatever pertains to his everlasting salvation 
promoted and perfected, through the riches of thy 

Q 



182 A Prayer 

grace, and the multitude of thy mercies in Jesus 
Christ. Amen. 

A Prayer for one that is Stupified, or Light-headed. 

OTHOU great Maker and Preserver of men, 
who knowest our frame and our frailty, how 
soon our senses may fail us, and our understanding 
depart from us ; to what accidents, distempers and 
decays our weak nature is liable, even such as may 
make the most acute and judicious man quickly 
become as a child or idiot, and turn all our wisdom 
and ingenuity into folly and frenzy. We are every 
one of us in thy hands, O Lord, to be used as thou 
wilt ; to have our speech and sense, yea, our very 
breach and life taken away when thou pleasest. Thou 
art righteous in all that comes upon us ; and who 
shall say unto thee, What doest thou ? Yet, even 
in chastising and correcting, thou keepest a meas- 
ure, and dost not forget thy mercy and compassion, 
nor drivest us away from the throne of grace, but . 
biddest us call upon thee in our troubles, and art 
still attentive to the prayers of thy servants : yea, 
waitest to be gracious, and wilt not let them seek 
thy face in vain. Hear us, O Father of mercies, 
we beseech thee ; and let thy mercy now be shew- 
ed to thy poor weak distempered servant, according 
to the exigence of his case, in the time of his need. 
Thou, O God, all-sufficient, who createst facul- 
ties, canst as easily restore them and give light and 
understanding even to the simple ; and scatter all 
the clouds, and supply and rectify every thing that 
is defective and amiss. O that thou wouldst be 
pleased to shew thyself so graciously and powerful- 
ly in the present case, and repair the breaches made 
upon thy servant 5 and give him sense and apprehen- 



for the Light-headed. 183 

sion sufficient to discern the state of his soul, and to 
see the things of his peace. 

Thou Lord Almighty, who didst command the 
light to shine out of darkness, and often bringest or- 
der and beauty even out of confusion and deformity, 
canst lighten the darkest mind, inform the weakest 
head, and regulate the wildest imagination ; yea, 
thou canst speak immediately to the heart, and in- 
cline and secure it to thyself ; and canst convey in- 
struction, and all suitable relief, where the doors are 
shut up against us. O God of all power and love, 
wilt thou speak to the soul of thy servant, so that it 
may observe thy voice ; and seize that precious 
jewel for thy own, that it may be safe in thy hands. 
Lord, direct and quicken, help and assist him, 
where we cannot, and do the great work of grace, 
worthy of the wonder-working God, to effect salva- 
tion for him by thy own self, in the failure of out- 
ward means and applications. O have pity upon 
his infirmities, and be merciful to his mistakes and 
failings, his rovings and follies ; give him, gracious 
God, a broken, penitent heart, and a believing, wil- 
ling mind ; and then accept him in thy beloved Son, 
according to what he hath ; and of thy rich grace, 
make him an entrance into thy everlasting kingdom, 
where all the shadows being vanished and gone, he 
may see light in thy light, and joyfully give thee 
praise and glory to all eternjty. Be gracious, O good 
Lord, and indulgent to him ; and do all that thou 
knowest to be needful and good for him, through the 
mediation and for the merits of him who took part of 
our flesh and blood, that he might be touched with the 
feeling of our infirmities ; and to thy mercy, in that 
hour merciful and faithful High Priest, we commit 
this infirm member of his mystical body, beseech- 
ing thee, O blessed Lord our God, to shew thyself 



184 A Prayer 

unto him a compassionate and tender Father, in 
the same Jesus Christ our only Saviour. Amen. 

A Prayer for a sick Child. 

OGOD of the spirits of all flesh, the only Giv- 
er and Preserver of life in every living soul °, 
the smallest, as well as the greatest, are thy work 
and thy care ; and neither without the compass of 
thy providence, nor below the notice and regard of 
our heavenly Father, who though so great above all, 
yet despiseth not any ! O dear Lord, let thy 
thoughts be full of pity and tender mercy to this 
poor sick child, for whose afflictions we are now con- 
cerned ; and send him, that relief and comfort from 
above, which none of us are able to give ; either 
lighten the load, or increase the strength to bear it ; 
and deal gently and graciously with him* good Lord,. 
beyond what we are worthy to ask at thy hands, 
even for thy own goodness and mercy's sake. 
Spare him, O Father of mercies, and grant him ease 
and release from his trouble ; yea, make haste to 
deliver him, we beseech thee ; and in submission to 
thy will we beg the recovery of his health, and the 
continuance of his life, to be spent in thy fear, and 
to thy praise, that he may continue to do thee service, 
and bring thee glory in his days upon earth ; but, 
forasmuch as children themselves, who are shapen 
in niquity, and conceited in sin, are therefore sub- 
ject to death, which reigns even over them that have 
not sinned, after the similitude of Adam's trans- 
gression, if thou art pleased, Lord, to take him away 
so early, O let it be in mercy, and prepare him then 
so for thyself, that it may be to him the greatest 
gain to die ; that he may not only be delivered 
from the miseries and dangers of this world, and 



for a dying Alan, &e* 185 

that to come, but by the quickest improvement, 
may be perfected in knowledge and grace, and made 
ripe and ready for heaven and eternal glory, through 
the infinite satisfaction and merits of thy beloved 
Son, our compassionate Saviour, who so kindly 
embraced and blessed young children, and ever 
lives at thy right hand to intercede for young and 
old ; the only prevailing Advocate for us all. And 
to thy mercy in him, O most gracious God, we 
commend this afflicted child, beseeching thee to 
deal well by him, and be good and kind to him ; 
and out of the riches of thy grace, provide and do 
abundantly, as thou knowest best for him, in life 
and death, and for evermore. Amen. 

A Prayer for a dying Man past Hope of Recovery. 

OTHE hope of Israel, and the Saviour thereof 
in time of trouble I when all other hope and 
help fail, it is not in vain to seek unto thee for suc- 
cor, who canst bring back from the mouth of the 
grave, and quicken the very dead ; and where thou art 
not pleased any further to prolong the temporal life, 
yet canst deliver from eternal death, and bring safe to 
the blessed life everlasting; for- the sake of which, 
no troubles or death should be thought too much to 
be endured ; if by any means we may attain to the 
joyful resurrection of the dead, and get safe to the 
heavenly Canaan, the land of the true living, where 
death itself is swallowed up of life, and thy saints 
are above the danger of dying any more, and live 
full of joy to everlasting ages. We think it too late 
to beg the recovery of thy servant, O Lord, now that 
he seems to us going the way of all flesh, and just- 
ly launching forth into his everlasting condition ; but 
though the time of his departure appears to be at 
Q2 



186 A Prayer 

hand, yet we cannot think it too late to beg thy mer- 
cy for him, as long as his life is in him ; and as we 
cannot choose but be greatly concerned for him, so 
we know not how better to express this our concern 
for him, than in beseeching thee to be good and 
gracious to him. 

O Lord our God, leave him not, nor forsake hi m ? . 
but support and assist him now in his sorest extrem- 
ities, in his last agonies, when he is to conflict with 
the king of terrors ; let him find the most sweet and 
seasonable aids from the Almighty God of his sal- 
vation, and take him not out of this life till thou 
hast fitted him for a better. O thou ever-living 
God, stand by him in the dying hour, and secure 
him in thy hands from the daily enemies of his soul, 
and finish all that is wanting of the work of thy 
grace upon his heart ; freely and fully pardon, and 
deliver him from all his sins, and accomplish him to . 
appear with comfort and rejoicing in thy blessed pres- 
ence. O make his departure easy, and full of 
peace and hope ; carry him safe through the dark 
passage, upon which he is entering, and let him find 
it the gate of glory, and a door opened into the 
everlasting kingdom and joy of his Lord. Into thy 
hands, we commend his spirit ; O thou Father of 
mercies, be merciful to him, and receive his depart- 
ing soul ; and w r hen he is numbered among the dead, 
let him also be numbered among the redeemed and 
blessed of the Lord, for his sake, who himself died 
for sinners, and rose again, and lives, and is alive for 
evermore, and has the keys of death and hell. To 
thy mercy, in that blest Saviour of the world, O most 
merciful Father, we now humbly recommend him ; 
beseeching thee to be all in all to him, and infinitely 
better than we are worthy or able to ask for him ; and 
let him be thine in life and death, and for evermore, 



upon the Nezvs of others'' Death. 187 

through the all-sufficient mediation of thy dear Son, 
our most prevailing Advocate and Redeemer, Jesus 
•Christ. Amen. 

A Prayer- upon the News, of other s J Death*. 

OLORD, the ever-living and all- disposing God,, 
in whose hands our breath is, and at whose 
call we must all be gone out of this world, and our 
place here will be no more found !. O what is man, 
every man living, even at his best estate, but alto- 
gether vanity ! What man is he that liveth, and shall 
not see death ?. The great and the mean, the wise 
and the foolish, good and bad, all yield up the ghost,, 
and go dewn to the grave*. Thou art pleased, O 
my God, to give me the advantage of seeing many 
of my neighbors and acquaintance taken away to 
their long home before me, and lea vest me yet stand- 
ing the living monument of thy goodness ; with 
these opportunities to appear before thee, in that day 
of grace, which through the forbearance of my God,, 
is yet over me, O w T hat am I better than all my 
fathers and brethren,, that L should be exempted. 
from the common portion of all men living, when it. 
is appointed to all men once to die : and I am as 
sure of my own dying as if. I- were already dead I. 
let me not be as the brutes that have no under- 
standing, without mindfulness of my mortality, or 
consideration of my latter end ; but in the death o£ 
others, let me see, as in a glass, my own frail and 
uncertain state in the present world ; how slippery 
is my standing, and how soon I must follow all the 
vast multitude that are gone before me out of the. 
land of the living. O let me make full account of 
it, and so live as one that surely expects to die, that 
when my own turn shall come, I may not go off- 



188 ^ Prayer 

with a heavy heart, but depart in peace, and sleep 
in Jesus, having my soul safe in thy hands, and my 
body resting in hope of gloriously rising at the last 
day through him who is the resurrection and the 
life T our blessed Saviour and Redeemer, Jesus 
Christ. Amen. 

A Prayer upon the Death of our dear Friends, 

GREAT God, the Lord of all, thou dost what- 
soever thou pleasest in heaven and in earth - 7 
and who may call in question any thing which thou 
dost ! Thou givest and takest away, raisest and dash- 
est our hopes, sendest and destroyest our comforts, 
and thou art wise and righteous, and good in all ; 
it is just we should be deprived of the enjoyments 
which we nothing but slight and abuse ; yea, it is 
good for us to have those things taken from us, 
which our abuse makes hurtftil to us i blessed be 
thy name, then even when thou takest away, as well 
as when thou givest ; yet, O Lord, who art justly 
displeased for our sins, in mercy turn these losses to 
the advantage of my soul, and so repair the breaches 
out of thy own infinite fulness, that I may find thy 
own blessed self unto me more and better than ma- 
ny, even such, friends and comforters ; they were 
but the instruments and means of conveyance ; thou 
the eternal spring and fountain of all good, art still 
the same, and amidst all these changes, never chang- 
est at all ; and what thou didst derive to me by such 
means, thou canst more than mak >ut to me anoth- 
er way. 

O my heavenly Father, take my eyes, and heart, 
and hope off of such poor dying comforts, to fix 
them upon the only satisfying good ; in the enjoy- 
ment of which consists all my true life, and peace 



for Patience. 18$ 

and bliss ; and let the great emptiness and frequent 
disappointments that I find in all the comforts of 
creatures and all the enjoyments of the world, teach 
me more wisdom than to place my affections and 
dependence upon them ; and help to disengage and 
loosen my heart from them, and raise up my desires 
and hopes to the glorious permanent objects so in- 
finitely to be preferred before them. O let me be 
more crucified to the world, where is nothing but 
emptiness and frustration, 'vanity and vexation of 
spirit ; and may I have my conversation more in 
heaven, where is my blessed Lord, and all his hap- 
py followers, of whom the world was not worthy, 
and.every thing that the soul of man can want or 
wish, O God of the spirits of all flesh, especially of the 
just made perfect, help me so to follow thy servants, 
my friends, departed in the Lord, that I with them, 
may attain at last, to live in the sight and presence, 
in the love and praises, and in the fellowship and en- 
joyment of thee, my God, blessed for ever. Amem 

A Prayer J vr Patience:* 

MY God !: thou knowest what an evil work! 

we live in, which I help to make still worse 
by my sins ; and I that have done so little good, and 
so much evil, must not look for all good, and no 
evil at the hands of God. In the world, thou hast 
told us we shall have tribulation ; and O that my 
tribulation may work patience, that I may go away 
contented with the load thou hast been pleased to 
lay upon me, and still possess my soul in patience 
however tried by corrections from thy hand, or by 
injuries from the hands of men ; to blame the in- 
strument, or complain of thy providence, under the 
pressures lying upon me, will but torment^ and break 



190 A Prayer 

myself to pieces, and still add to that which I count 
so grievous to endure. O let me better provide for 
my own ease, as well as duty, than so to disquiet my- 
self in vain ; and whatever thou dost with me, O 
Lord, let me be dumb, and not open my mouth to 
reply or murmur, because it is thy doing ; make me 
to acquiesce and rest satisfied, even in the bitterest 
dispensations of thy good providence ; contented 
with such things as I have, and patient m the want 
of such comforts as I have not : and when nothing 
but trouble and sorrow is my portion, had I what 
my sins deserve, O let me not be querulous and 
forward, forasmuch as thou dealest not with me af- 
ter my sins, nor rewardest me according to my ini- 
quities ; but may I patiently encounter all difficul- 
ties and grievances in my passage through this wea- 
ry troublesome world, knowing that the same afflic- 
tions are accomplished in my brethren that are in the 
world ; and it is but the common lot of all poor sin- 
ful mortals Jiere upon earth. O make me patient to 
the coming of the Lord; enduring all grievous 
things with a meek and quiet spirit, seeing they are 
happy that endure ; and such as endure to the end 
shall be saved. O my Lord, let no pains or suffer- 
ings ever drive me from thee, but rather be a means 
to bring me nearer to thee ; and let the remembrance 
of the great day of the Lord, and the eternal state of 
the world to come, work in me a contempt of this 
world, mortification of my lusts, and patient abiding 
of the cross ; seeing it is of so little consideration, 
what we do enjoy or endure here for a short season, 
so that we be delivered from the wrath to come, and 
it may go well with us for ever. O let me, by pa- 
tient continuance in well-doing, seek for glory and 
honor, and immortality, and count nothing in this 
world either dear to possess, or intolerable to suffer ; 



for Preparation and Readiness to Die. 191 

3.0 that I may finish my course with joy, and at last 
rest from all my labors and troubles, with the re- 
deemed and blessed of the Lord ; which I wait and beg 
for at thy good hands, O my gracious Father, for the 
sake of Jesus Christ. Amen, 

A Prayer for Preparation and Readiness to Die, 

LORD, what is our life but a vapor that ap- 
pears for a little time, and then vanisheth 
away ! even at the longest, how short; and at the 
strongest how frail ! and when we think ourselves 
most secure, yet we know not what a day may 
bring forth, to turn us out of all ; nor how soon 
thou mayest come, before we are aware, to call us 
to our last account. Quickly shall we be as water 
spilt on the ground, that cannot be gathered up 
again : quickly snatched away from hence, and our 
place here shall know us no more for ever ; our 
days, one after another, are spent apace, and we 
know not how near to us is our last day, when our 
bodies shall be laid up in the grave, and our souls 
called to appear at the tribunal of God, to receive 
our standing doom, for bliss or woe eternal. Yet, 
O good God, how have I lived in this world, as if I 
should never leave it ! how unmindful of my latter 
end ! how improvident of my time ! how careless 
of my soul ! how negligent in my preparation for 
my everlasting condition ! so that thou mayest just- 
ly bring my last hour as a snare upon me, to sur- 
prize me in my sins, and my unpreparedness to ap- 
pear before thee. But, O dear Father of mercies, 
remember aot my sins against me ; but remember 
thy own tender mercies, and thy loving kindnesses 
which have been ever of old. O remember how 
short my time is, and spare me, that I may recover 



192 A Prayer 

my strength before I go hence, and be no more 
seen ; make me so wise as to understand and con- 
sider my latter end, and to remember also, myself, 
the shortness of my time : and teach me so to num- 
ber my days, that I may apply my heart to the true 
wisdom. Lord, what have I to do in this world, 
but to make ready for the world to come. O that 
I may be mindful of it, and intent upon it, to finish 
my work before I finish my course ! 

In the days of my health and peace, and prosperi- 
ty, O that I may remember, and provide for the 
time of trouble and sickness, and death, when the 
world's enjoyment shall shrink away from me, and 
prove utterly unable to support and help me. O let 
-me never allow myself in any course of living 
wherein I would be loth or afraid to die ; but let 
me see my sins die before me, that they may never 
rise up in judgment against me, and enable me so 
to die unto them daily that I may not die for sin 
eternally. Instruct me, good Lord, and assist me 
in my great work of .preparation for a dying hour, 
that I may not then be dreadfully surprized, but 
meet it with courage and comfort. O gracious 
God, shew me how to do it : quicken me into a 
■serious concernment about it, and help me with 
good success to perform it, that I may be fitted for 
heaven ere I leave this earth, and may have the 
sound peace with God, through Jesus Christ, be- 
fore I depart hence into the state, where I must 
abide for even O my Lord, make me so ready to 
meet thee at thy coming, that thy coming may be 
the matter of my hopes and desires, and joyful ex- 
pectations, that I may love the appearance of Christ, 
%vho is my life, and long for that blessed time, when 
thou wilt put an everlasting period to all my sins 
and troubles, and temptations here, and exchange 



in Public Commotions and Distractions, 193 

my present being in the body, to be ever with the 
Lord. O my strength, help me so to live, as, at 
the hour of death, I shall wish that I had lived, and 
so to make ready for death all my days, that at my 
last day I may have nothing to do but to die, and 
cheerfully resign my spirit into thy gracious hands, 
O my Father, and find a merciful admission to thy 
favor and to thy kingdom, for the sake of my only 
Saviour, Jesus Christ. Amen. 

A Prayer in Public Commotions and Distractions. 

ALMIGHTY Lord, the righteous God ! thy 
judgments are in all the earth ; and it is no 
wonder if this wicked world should be also a trou- 
blesome world, where wars and rumors of wars are 
abroad, and the sword is making havoc among the 
nations ; and though we have hitherto been kept 
from such wasting calamities as have swept away 
multitudes of our brethren, yet thou, for our sins, 
hast now broken our nation, and made it tremble : 
O heal the breaches of it, for it shaketh. We have 
no sanctuary to fly to for refuge, but that mercy of 
thine, O good God, which we have so much and so 
often abused and despised ; nor any help from trou- 
ble, but what we seek at thy hands, who for our 
sins art justly displeased. O thou that waitest to be 
gracious, and whose mercy endureth for ever, have 
compassion on us, and spare us, good Lord ; spare 
thy people whom thou hast redeemed with thy pre- 
cious blood, and still signalized with thy wonderful 
mercies ; aiid turn us again, O Lord God of hosts ; 
cause thy face to shine upon us, and we shall be 
saved. O make us a way to escape out of those 
fears and dangers wherein -our sins have involved 
us, that peace may be restored, and the gospel of 
R 



194 A Prayer 

peace in much mercy continued to us in our 
posterity, as long as the world endures. O that 
we may learn righteousness by thy judgments, 
and not dare to go on in our trespasses and re- 
bellions against thee, when thou hast a controver- 
sy with us, and art making inquisition for blood 
amongst us ; but let us so turn to thee in the way of 
our duty, that thou mayest turn to us in a way of 
saving mercy ; and seeing this is not our rest, and 
little but alarms and commotions, and one deep call- 
ing to another, is to be expected in this uncertain 
tumultuous world, O that we may have our eyes 
further than the ends of the earth, and lift them up 
to the Lord, from whom cometh our help, and seek 
the continuing city to come, and lay up our rest and 
our treasure in that kingdom which cannot be mov- 
ed ; that we may choose the good part which shall 
not be taken from us, and flee from the wrath to 
come, and have peace in our Lord, and hope in our 
death ; even the hope of that eternal life, which is 
thy promise and gift, O blessed God, through Je- 
sus Christ. Amen, 

A Prayer in Time of threatening Dangers, 

GREAT God, holy and just ! I am amazed and 
terrified to think of the dreadful wages which 
my sins have deserved ; fearfulness and trembling 
are come upon me, and my spirit is overwhelmed, 
and my heart fails me for fear, so that I know not 
what to do ; but my eyes are upon thee, my great 
Saviour, and mighty Deliverer, to give me that help 
which from man it is vain to expect ; and this time 
that I am afraid, I will trust in thee ; and under the 
shadow of thy wings make my refuge, till these ca- 
lamities be over- past. O my Lord, take me to thy 



in Time of threatening Dangers. 195 

fatherly care, and thy almighty protection, and save 
me from the hands of my enemies, and from feeling 
the evils which I fear to come upon me : O dispel 
the clouds, and turn away the storms, and clear up 
the face of heaven, so blackened now over our heads. 
Thou, O Lord, that knowest how to deliver, and 
never art at a loss to effect what thou wilt, command 
deliverances for me, I beseech thee ; and be not far 
from me, when trouble seems so nigh to me, but let me 
find thy help at hand, in this time and case of my need. 
O my God, thou hast been a shelter for me, and 
a strong tower of defence from the enemy ; and 
though I walk in the midst of trouble, thou wilt re- 
ceive me ; thou wilt stretch forth thy hand upon 
my enemy, and thy right hand shall save me. O 
my Saviour, I fly to thee to hide me; be thou 
pleased to defend me from them that rise up against 
me : consider die trouble that I suffer of them that 
hate me, and lead me in thy righteousness because 
of my enemies ; make thy way straight before my 
face. Deliver me, O Lord, from the evil and vio- 
lent man, and from my persecutors that are strong- 
er than I. O let not any that are my enemies 
WTongfully rejoice over me ; but shew me some 
token for good that they who hate me may see it 
and be ashamed, because thou Lord hast helped 
and comforted me. O fortify me against that fear 
of any men which would terrify me out of my duty 
to thee, my God ; let me never be so awed by them 
as to make bold with thee, and trespass upon thee 
to escape them, or to ingratiate myself with them. 
Thou hast been my help, be thou pleased to come 
in now to my succor, and shew thyself graciously 
and powerfully on my behalf. Do it, Lord, for the 
glory of thy name, for the-merits of thy Son, and for 
thy own mercy's sake, that I may see thy hand, and 



196 A Prayer 

praise thy power, and admire thy love, and adore 
thy grace and goodness, while I have my being. 
Ame?i> Amen, 

A Prayer upon the Remembrance of former Sins. 

OWHO can understand his errors ! Who can 
call to mind the innumerable offences of all 
his life ! when, ever since we could do any thing, 
alas ! what have we done that is free from sin ! but, 

the heinous offences, the presumptuous sins, the 
great transgressions whereof I have been guilty, 
which stare me in the face, and recoil upon my 
heart, and cast down my soul within me ; because 

1 have committed them with so many foul aggrav- 
ating circumstances," against such light and love, 
means and mercies, calls and warnings, convictions, 
and experiences, and all the many and mighty ob- 
ligations from the Lord which I have had ; I am 
covered with confusion, O my God, and filled with 
bitter remorse, and ghastly fears, as often as I look 
back upon such blots, and falls, and scandals of my 
life. O, if they should rise up in the judgment against 
me, they could not but utterly sink and ruin me. 
But Lord, my God, help me so to remember 
that thou mayest forget them ; so to charge them 
upon myself that thou mayest never lay them to my 
charge ; so to keep them before my eyes, to abase 
and humble my soul, that thou mayest hide thy 
face from my sins, and blot out all my iniquities ; 
especially those that are so confounding and terrible 
to my thoughts. O let me ever walk humbly be- 
fore thee, seeing I have so shamefully sinned against 
thee ; and though thou hast kept me from my de- 
served shame in this world, O let net thy indul- 
gence embolden me to repeat the wickedness; 



under Fears and Doubts ■, &c. 197 

but let this thy goodness, O my God, work in me 
a more deep and serious repentance. 

And thou, Lord Almighty, who alone canst bring 
good out of evil, be thou pleased to make my past 
falls an occasion of my surer standing for the future. 
O embitter the pleasures of sin tome, and hedge up 
the ways of wickedness, as with briars and thorns, 
before me, that I may loath as much as ever I have 
loved the offensive things, and never return again 
to such folly. O let the flames wherewith I have 
been scorched, terrify me from being any more so 
concerned, and let the sense and remembrance of 
all the former offences of my life quicken and awa- 
ken me, as into the deeper repentance for them, so 
into the more careful circumspection and watchful- 
ness against them, that I may not be so strange to 
thee, my God, as I have been, nor trespass upon 
thee, and rebel against thee as I have done, but pass 
the time of my sojourning here in fear, and be more 
tender, and wary, and vigilant, all the days of my 
life. Amen, Amen, 

A Prayer under Fears and Doubts of our Spiritual 
Condition. 

OLORD my God, I hope thou hast, of 'thy 
rich mercy, changed and renewed me in some 
measure, and wrought a good work upon me, bring 
me out of my natural and damnable condition, into 
the state of grace and salvation ; for yet the carnal 
nature is so predominant over me, and many sins 
so lively and strong in me, and still I find the good 
things of thy Spirit in so much weakness and im- 
perfection upon me, that the sorrows of my heart 
are enlarged, and my souHs disquieted within me, 
seeing too frequent cause to question, whether mv 
R 2 



1 93 s A Prayer 

spots are the spots of thy children ; whether I have 
known the grace of God in truth, and whether I do 
not deceive myself, in reckoning upon that which I 
neither am or have. 

Mine eyes are to thee, O God the Lord, leave 
not my soul destitute. From the ends of the earth 
will I cry to thee : when my heart is overwhelmed 
within me, lead me to the rock that is higher than 
I. O Lord rebuke me not in thine anger, neither 
chasten me in thy sore displeasure. Forsake me 
not, O my God ; be not far from me ; make has':e 
to help me, O Lord my salvation. Attend to my 
cry, for I am brought very low ; hear me speedily, 
my spirit fails. Save me, O God, for the waters 
are come into my soul ; I sink in the deep mire, 
where there is no standing. Bring my soul out of 
prison, that I may praise thy name. 

O shew me the true state of my soul, and make 
me to know the things that are freely given me of 
God ; and deliver me, gracious Lord, from all those 
offensive matters that provoke thee to hide thy face 
from me, and that wrap up my soul in clouds and 
darkness, and make me so much a stranger to peace 
and comfort. O grant me a clear discovery of the 
evidences of my calling and election ; and seal a 
comfortable assurance of thy blessed love in Christ 
Jesus to my soul. O thou that didst bid the winds 
and waves, Peace, be still, and they obeyed thee ; set- 
tle my discomposed mind, and quiet my troubled 
breast, and bring me to see the light of thy counte- 
nance, and the joy of thy salvation. O thou that art of 
power to establish us, be pleased to establish my heart 
with grace, and let me be rooted and grounded in the 
faith, that I may not stagger through unbelief, but 
hold the beginning of my confidence stedfast to 
the end. Rejoice the soul of- thy servant ; for un- 



under the Dread of God's Wrath. 199 

to thee, O Lord, do I lift up my soul ; and let the joy of 
the Lord be my strength, to make me victorious over 
my sins, and always to abound in thy work ; never 
pleased so much with any thing as to do the thing 
pleasing to my God, through Jesus Christ. Amen. 

A Prayer under the Dread of God's Wrath, and 
everlasting Damnation. 

OLORD, the great and dreadful God, against 
whom I have greatly sinned ; and who for 
my sins art justly displeased ! when I consider the 
holiness of thy laws, and the strictness of thy justice ; 
and when I reflect upon the heinous and innumera- 
ble sins of my heart and life, my flesh trembles for 
fear of thee, and I am afraid of thy judgments. O 
who may stand in thy sight, when once thou art 
angry ! who can bear up for ever under all the vi- 
als of thy wrath, to the uttermost poured out, when 
thy mercy shall Jbe clean gone, and thou shalt cast 
off, and shew fdvor no more ! yet even that damna- 
tion would be my woful portion, which I could no 
more avoid than abide, shouldest thou, O Lord, en- 
ter into judgment with me, and proceed as most 
justly thou mightest against me, I could then hope 
for no better, but to be deprived of all the comforts 
of this life, and to be delivered into the bitter pains 
of eternal death. But though the wages of my sins 
be that death, yet the gift of God is eternal life, 
through Jesus Christ our Lord. O for his dear 
sake, who has satisfied thy justice, and appeased thy 
wrath for all our offences, even thy Son, who was 
delivered up into the hands of sinners, that he might 
deliver us from the wrath to come, and suffered and 
died once, that we might not suffer and die for ever ; 
O God, the Father of heaven, have mercy upon me, 



200 A Prayer 

a miserable sinner ; and from thy wrath, and from 
everlasting damnation, good Lord deliver me, and 
help me in the fear of thee, my God, to flee from 
the wrath to come, and to rid my hands and my 
heart of every cursed thing that provokes the Lord 
to kill and cast sinners into hell. 

O thou blessed Saviour of the world, save me 
from my sins, and from all their dismal effects, and 
reconcile me to God, and make my peace through 
the blood of thy cross. Thou tookest upon thee 
our mortal nature, that thou mighest, through death, 
destroy him who had the power of death, and deliv- 
er them, who through fear of death, were all their 
life time subject to bondage. Have compassion, 
Lord, I beseech thee, on my infirmities, and suffer 
me not to fall a prey to my own fears, but be surety 
for thy servant, to undertake for all my heavy scores, 
wherein I have run myself in such great arrears to 
the justice of heaven ; and give me everlasting con- 
solation, and good hope, through grace, and being 
justified by faith, O let me have peace with God 
through our Lord Jesus Christ. Hide not thy face 
from me, O my Lord, lest I be like to them that go 
down into the pit ; but revive my soul with the sense 
of thy love, and the hopes of thy full absolution, and 
everlasting salvation, that I may give thee thanks from 
the ground of the heart, and shew with gladness what 
thou hast done for thy redeemed, and joyfully sing 
thy praise, and keep in thy love, looking for the 
mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ to eternal life. 
Amen, 

A Prayer under strong Temptations. 

HOLY G( >D ! I desire to humble myself here 
before thee, for that continual proneness 



under strong Temptations. 201 

which is in me to sin against thee, that I am so un- 
like to thee, and so contrary to what thy holy laws 
require me to be. After all the great things thou 
hast done for me, alas ! how apt am I still to spoil 
and undo myself ! The malicious tempter is laying 
snares for me every where ; and the things of this 
world are still pressing hard upon me, either to terrify 
me out of my duty, or to humor me into my ruin. 
And O how ready is my sinful flesh to side with the 
cruel enemy against my own soul ! Innumerable 
evils have compassed me about ; my iniquities have 
taken hold upon me, so that I am not able to look 
up ; they are more than the hairs of my head, there- 
fore my heart fails me. O the sin that still dwelleth 
in me, that is so nigh to me, that does so easily beset 
me, and is so apt to prevail against me, to pull me 
away from the obedience of thy blessed will, and to 
engage me in forbidden things, displeasing in thy 
sight, and destructive to my soul! O wretched 
man that I am, who shall deliver me from the 
body of this death ? when the custom of sin- 
ning has so increased my sinful inclinations, that 
the leopard may as soon change his spots, and the 
Ethopian his skin, as I who am so accustomed to 
evil can of myself, cease from it, if the Lord of 
hosts be not with me ; if the God of Jacob be not 
my refuge. 

But with thee, the Almighty God, all things are 
possible ; yea, thou canst as easily make us holy as 
bid us be so. To thee the very powers of hell are 
weakness ; nothing in the world can resist thy will. 
O pity thy poor tempted creature, and give me not 
up, i m justice, to a reprobate sense, and to vile af- 
fections, nor to such blindness of mind and hard- 
ness of heart, as should render me past feeling ; nor 
ever punish my former sins, by giving me over to 



202 A Prayer for Chastity* 

their sway and power ; but let it be thy gracious 
pleasure, O Lord, that all my prevailing iniquities 
may flee and perish at thy presence. O give out the 
commanding word to those filthy corruptions, Hith- 
erto shall ye go and no further. Speak death to my 
sins, that my soul may live, and for ever bless thy 
name. Stop and heal the running sores, that they 
may no more break out as they have done, to the 
dishonor of thy name, the wounding of my con- 
science, and hindering the concerns of my own and 
others present peace, and eternal bliss ; yea, so 
sanctify my nature, O Lord, and renew me, even 
in the spirit of my mind, that my heart may rise 
against the sinful evils, and that I may hate all ini- 
quity, and every false way ; so resisting the devil, 
that I may not conspire with the deadly enemy of 
souls to undo myself. O give me power from on 
high, to set me above the power of my sins ; and 
give me grace sufficient to turn my heart against the 
love of my sins, that I may not be false in thy cov- 
enant, nor false to my own chief interest, but man- 
fully fight thy battles, and approve myself thy faith- 
ful soldier and servant to my life's end ; that being 
so faithful until death, thou mayest give unto me 
the crown of life, and take me at last from this war- 
fare to reign with thee, world without end. Amen. 

A Prayer for Chastity. 

OGOD of infinite purity, thou hast called us, 
not to uncleanness, but to holiness ; thou hast 
commanded us to be holy as thou art holy ; and 
hast promised to none but the pure in heart to see 
and enjoy thee in the beauties of holiness, and the 
joys above. O how shall I, a polluted wretch, 
shew myself before thy heavenly Majesty, who art 



A Prayer for Chastity, 202 

perfect purity ; and in whose sight even heaven it- 
self is not clean ? O most gracious Lord ! look not 
upon me as I am in myself, and as I through my 
sins have made myself, vile, even in my own eyes ; 
for then thou canst not choose but abhor my soul, 
and pour out all thy wrath upon me ; but wash me 
thoroughly from my iniquity, and cleanse me from 
all my sin and guilt in that fountain opened for sin 
and for uncleanness, the precious blood of the 
Lamb of God, slain to take away the sins of the 
world. Lord, if thou wilt, thou canst make me 
clean : O create a clean heart in me, and say to my 
sin-defiled soul, as thou didst to the leper, I will, be 
thou clean, and I shall be cleansed and fitted now 
for thy holy service, and hereafter for thy heavenly 
glory. O my God ! cast the unclean spirit out of 
thy temple ; and if he will not go out but by pray- 
er and fasting, let me add such abstinence to my 
prayers, as may help to starve the fleshly lusts that 
war against my soul : and by any means help me, 
my strength and my Redeemer, to possess my ves- 
sel in sanctification, and honor ; not in the lust of 
concupiscence, as those that know not God. Holy 
Lord, chase away the birds of prey that would de- 
vour thy sacrifice ; and drive out these unclean 
beasts that would trample down the plantation of 
thy grace in my soul. O let me not live after the 
flesh, lest I eternally die ; but by thy Spirit so mor- 
tify the deeds of the body, that I may for ever live ; 
instead of doing the works of the flesh, let me hate 
the very garment spotted with it ; and not without 
detestation once name the filthy lusts. Help me, 
my God, to avoid every occasion of falling, and to 
abstain from all appearance of evil, and so to delight 
in purity, and to keep myself from my iniquity that 
I may lead the noble spiritual life as becomes the 



204 *A Prayer 

child of my heavenly Father ; and not grieve thy 
Holy Spirit, O God, but be pleasing in thy blessed 
sight, through Jesus Christ. Amen. 

A Prayer for the Mortification of all fieshly Lusts. 

I HAVE vowed and promised unto thee, my God, 
to renounce all the sinful lusts of the flesh, and 
am devoted as holy to the Lord ; that having put on 
Jesus Christ, I should not make provision for the 
flesh to fulfil the lust thereof, but cleanse myself 
from all filthiness of flesh and spirit, perfecting ho- 
liness in the fear of God : But though I have some 
delight in the law of God, after the inner man ; yet 
I find another law in my members, warring against 
the law of my mind, bringing me into captivity to 
the law of sin, which is in my members ; and 
this I acknowledge and bewail to thee, O Lord Al- 
mighty ! who alone canst set me free from the lusts 
that are too hard for me. O help me, Lord God of 
my salvation, against the power of these prevailing 
iniquities, and purge away all my sins, for the glory 
of thy name; may the time past of my life suffice 
to have served my own lusts and pleasures. O let 
not sin any longer reign in my mortal body, that I 
should obey it in the lusts thereof, but help me, 
Lord, to cut off the right hand, and to pluck out the 
right eye, to keep under my body, and to bring it 
into subjection, that I may have the mastery of my 
lusts, and overcome the sins that have so often over- 
come me. O mortify and destroy in me every re- 
bellious motion, and every vicious inclination that 
exalts itself against the gospel and government of 
Christ Jesus ; that gives satan advantage over me, 
and hinders my Saviour from reigning as a king su- 
preme in my heart. 



before the Hearing of God's Word. 205 

Preserve me, Lord most holy, from all those sin- 
ful pleasures that would make me fall short of the hea- 
venly pleasures which are at thy right hand for ever- 
more. G let me not lead a sensual life, minding the 
things of the flesh, as if they were the only esteemed 
and beloved things ; but make me so spiritually 
minded, that I may above all things, favor and relish 
the things of the Spirit of God. Let not sinful flesh 
and lust, but thy heavenly Spirit and grace, have the 
predominancy in my soul, to guide and govern my 
heart and life ; especially let the sins to which I am 
most strongly induced, be eifectually subdued. G 
let me not yield myself the miserable slave of my 
soul-ruining lusts ; but carry myself as the wise and 
faithful follower of my heavenly Lord and Saviour ; 
and as thou who hast called me, art holy, so make 
me holy in disposition, and in all my conversation ; 
such a lover and follower of holiness, that I may see 
and enjoy the Lord. G gird me with might to that 
spiritual conflict wherein I am engaged ; not only 
against flesh and blood, but infernal foes, too strong 
for me to deal with, that, through Christ strengthen- 
ing me, I may go on conquering and to conquer all 
that withstands thy glory, and my salvation, till sa- 
tan be bruised under my feet ; that nothing may 
ever be able to separate me from the love of God, 
which is in Christ Jesus, my Lord. Amen. 

A Prayer before the Hearing of God's Word, 

OMOST blessed Lord, the God of all grace, 
who art pleased to send out thy light and thy 
truth among us, both to discover our sins unto us, 
and also to make the way of life and salvation plain 
before us ; be thou pleased also to send the Spirit of 
thy Son into our hearts, that he who- is the author 
S 



206 A Prayer 

may also be the interpreter of thy word, to make it 
plain to our understanding, to set it home powerful- 
ly upon our hearts, and to render it the savor of life 
unto our souls. The Lord open our ears, and 
quicken our attention, to receive what shall be deli- 
vered from thy word with carefulness and meekness, 
and with all readiness and gladness, and love and de- 
light in it, and desire to come on and grow by it ; 
and strengthen our memories to treasure up and re- 
tain what we hear, that we may not let it slip, with- 
out making our benefit of it, and being the better 
for it. O gracious God ! teach us to profit, and 
make our improvements more answerable to those 
means of grace, which through thy mercy we do 
enjoy. Let the word which shall sound in our ears 
also sink down into our hearts, and take root in our 
souls, and produce and shew the fruits of it in our 
lives, that we may not be forgetful hearers, but faith- 
ful doers of thy holy word. O let the immortal 
seed of this heayenly word, beget such principles of 
grace and holiness in our hearts* that may be in us 
as a well of water 5 springing up to everlasting life. 
Make us so obedient to thy holy precepts, that we 
may also inherit the glorious promises of thy word. 
O let our teachers be taught of God ; and direct 
the stewards of thy mysteries to give unto every 
one their portion in due season ; yea, give, Lord, 
the heavenly benediction and increase upon the 
planting and watering of thy servants, and make the 
waters of thy sanctuary healing to our souls ; yea, 
make thy word as fire in the mouths of thy messen- 
gers, and set home the sword of the Spirit with thy 
own hand, making it mighty through God, to the 
pulling down of strong holds, and subduing all op- 
positions to the obedience of Christ. O let thy 
Spirit cause thy word to do thy great and gracious 



after Hearing of the Word. 207 

Work effectually upon all our hearts, for which we 
may have reason to give thee praise and glory, to all 
eternity. Amen. 

A Prayer after Hearing of the Word. 

WE bless thee, O Lord, the living God, who 
holdest our souls in life, and providest for 
them the bread of Fife, that food of thy holy word, by 
which we live more and better than by our daily 
bread. It has now been delivered and received ; 
but the blessing is in thy hands, O gracious God, 
to make it prosperous and successful to the gaining 
and saving of souls. O wilt thou be pleased to send 
it home to the heart, and there make it to stay and 
abide, till it has done thy will, and wrought thy 
work, to build us up in the faith of Christ, and to 
set us forward in all holiness of life ; to make every 
hearer such a doer of thy word, that we niay be all 
blessed now in our deed, and hereafter for ever bless- 
ed in the joy of our Lord, 

O that all who have been convinced of their sins 
may also be converted to thyself, that they may not 
only think of the holy change, but resolve upon it, 
and go through with it ; and let thy blessed Spirit so 
prevail with them, that the good motions may not go 
off before they have effected the work of grace in 
them. O make thy word mighty, through God, to 
plant thy grace where it is not ; to increase it where 
it is, and to guide and govern all our hearts and lives 
in thy holy ways, that the word which we hear may 
do us good, and still bring us nearer, and make us 
more like to our God ; that we may find our knowl- 
edge and our faith not only to come, but to grow by 
hearing, and may so hear that our souls may now 



208 A Prayer 

live the holy life of grace, and hereafter the blessed 
life of glory, for evermore. Amen, 

A Prayer for Increase of Grace. 

OGOD of all grace, who both quickenest the 
dead, and after thou hast given life, givest the 
increase. Thy people go from strength to strength, 
growing in grace, till they appear before thee in glo- 
ry ; and the path of the just is as the shining light, 
shining more and more to the perfect day. But O 
Lord, how barren and unfruitful have I been among 
the trees of righteousness ! and how little have I 
made my profiting and progress appear under all thy 
gracious means, and abundant mercies ; yea, how 
weak and low am I still in my spiritual estate i O 
how small is my will and strength to that which is 
good ! how much am I behind many of thy servants, 
who have not had the helps and advantages which I 
so long have enjoyed ! and how little is it to be seen 
in my life what great things the Lord has done for 
my soul t O my God, I have not well improved the 
talents which thou hast put into my hands, nor an- 
swered the care and kindness of heaven, which I have 
so long experienced. Thou hast not been wanting 
to me, O good Lord ! but I have been exceedingly 
wanting to myself, and to that duty which I owe to 
my God. I am ashamed that it is no better with me ; 
that so many mercies have been spilt and lost upon 
me. Forgive me, O my Father, and repair thy ho- 
ly image in me, who have so much dishonored thee, 
and disabled and spoiled myself. O help me still 
more and more, to put off' the old man, which is 
corrupt according to the deceitful lusts ; and to put 
on the new, which, after God, is created in right- 
eousness and true holiness. Whatever else I want, 



for Increase of Grace. 209 

Lord, deny me not thy grace, but increase it in me, 
and discover it still more and more upon me ; yea, 
let the graces of thy Spirit, that accompany salvation, 
so flourish in my soul, that the peace of God, which 
passeth all understanding, may keep my heart and 
mind, through Christ Jesus. 

Blessed Saviour ! who earnest into the world that 
we might have life, and have it more abundantly, of 
thy fulness let me receive grace sufficient for me, to 
make me strong in the Lord, and ready to every good 
ivorkr My life, my strength and my Redeemer ! 
leave me not under the curse of barrenness, to stand 
Oft a stay, or to decline in my spiritual estate ; but as 
thou hast wrought all my works in me, establish, O 
God, that which thou hast wrought for me, and 
strengthen the things which remain that are ready to 
die, and cherish all the seeds of grace sown in my 
heart, that my soul may prosper and increase with 
the increase of God, as a watered garden, and as a 
spring whose waters fail not ; growing in knowledge 
and grace, and abounding in all those fruits of right- 
eousness which are by Jesus Christ,, to the glory 
and praise of God, that so I may be fully satisfied of 
the truth of thy grace in me, by its growing upon 
me. O my Lord ! Carry on. with power the work 
of faith and sanctitioation in my soul, that my sin- 
ful corruption,, every day, like the house of Saul 9 
may grow weaker and weaker ; and thy grace in me, 
every day, like the house of David, may grow strong- 
er and stronger, till from groaning under sin, the 
body of this death, I come to triumph over all that 
opposes and hinders the progress of my spiritual 
life ; and as thou art pleased to afford me the means 
©f grace, O grant me the increase of thy grace, to 
answer the end of all those means, that in the use of 
them, I maybe made still wiser and holier, and bet* 
S2 



210 A Prayer 

ter, and fitter for thy blessed acceptance in Jesus 
Christ, my only Saviour. Amen. 

A Prayer for quickening Grace. 

I Acknowledge and bewail before thee, O Lord,. 
the living and all- seeing God, my sinful dulness 
and indisposedness for the duties of thy holy ser- 
vice : when I should delight in the law of God, and 
serve thee with gladness, and make it my meat 
and drink to do the will of my heavenly Father ; O 
how cold and listless am I to do that which is the 
best for me, and w T hich does most nearly and eternal- 
ly concern me. I am alive to the world, and very 
apt to be transported with sensual objects ; but 
how heavy and dead to those offices of attendance 
on my Lord, which are the glory and joy of all the 
worthies of heaven. My soul cleaves to the dust of 
the earth ; quicken me, O Lord, according to thy 
word, according to the word of thy precept, which 
doers command us to be spiritually minded ; to 
abound in the work, and not to be slothful in busi- 
ness, but fervent in spirit, serving the Lord : and 
quicken me, O my Lord, according to the word of 
thy promise, that sin shall not have dominion over 
thy servants ; that thou wilt perfect what concerns thy 
people. Dear Lord ! be thou pleased to perfect that 
which concerns my soul, and engage the love of my 
heart to thy service ; and make me to delight to do 
thy will, O God, and with an enlarged heart to run the 
way of thy commands. O help me to put forth my- 
self with vigor and activity in thy holy ways, and u> 
apply myself to the performance of thy blessed plea- 
sure, not only because I must, but because it is the 
desire of my soul, and the joy of my heart to be so 
taken up that nothing in the world may give me so 



for Ability for our Places. 211 

much cheerfulness and sweet satisfaction, as to ap- 
prove my heart unto my God, and my ways pleasing 
in thy sight, through Jesus Christ. Amen. 

A Pray erf or Ability to acquit ourselves as we ought >\ 
in our several Places and Relations. 

OLORD our Lord ! thy word enjoins us ? ~ 
wherein we are called therein to abide with 
God. And this is the duty which we are especial- 
ly to take care of, next to the care of our souls, to 
study to be quiet, and to do our own business, that 
we may provide for ourselves, and for our depend- 
ents, and render to all their dues, and not be bur- 
thensome, but helpful to others. O thou that giv- 
est skill and ability for the performance of those offi- 
ces to which thou ealiest, teach and enable me, I be- 
seech thee, for the work of my place, and all the 
duties of my calling. Good Lord ! pardon all my 
past unfaithfulness and negligence herein, and direct 
and bless, and accept, and assist me in discharging it 
for the time to come. G make me so contented 
with what I get by honest means, that I may never 
offer to go beyond, or defraud my neighbors in any 
matter, but be punctually just in all my dealings, and 
conscientiously perform my duty in all my relations, 
carrying myself as I ought towards every one with 
whom I am any way concerned in the world, wheth- 
er superior, equal, or inferior, offensive to none ; but, 
as I have power and opportunity for it, good and 
useful to all. O let me not walk disorderly, nor be 
guilty of the impertinence and mischief, to be neg- 
ligent at home and to busy myself abroad in other 
men's matters ; but may I keep my own station, 
and with quietness work and eat my own bread ; 
and provide things honest in the sight of all men foU 



212 T A Prayer 

lowing after that which is lovely and of good report, 
and herein exercising myself to have always the con- 
science void of offence towards God, and towards 
men ; yea, whatever any may justly expect from me, 
help me, O my God, to discharge it faithfully and 
acceptably ; and command a blessing, Lord, upon 
all my honest labors and endeavors, and make them 
successful to promote my own and others real and 
eternal good, and to glorify thy blessed name, 
through Jesus Christ. Amen. 

A Prayer for Grace to serve the Lord with Glad- 



OMY God ! thou art a Lord that hast pleas, 
ure in the prosperity of thy servants ; and 
thy servants have all the greatest reason to be most 
highly pleased in the performance of thy service. It 
is good for me to draw nigh to God, in whose pres- 
ence is fulness of joy ; and the hearts of them may 
rejoice that seek the Lord ; for thou dost not em- 
ploy us but to oblige us ; not for any advantage to 
thyself, but only for our own greatest good every 
way, that it may go well with us, both here and for 
ever. O my Lord, I am full of trouble and confu- 
sion, that ever I should be so listless as I have been 
to thy blessed work, and so lifeless in it, "and 
soon weary of it, to the dishonor of thy name, and 
the reproach of thy service, as if I had a hard mas- 
ter, and a doleful work. O that I should bear as a 
burden that which should be the solace of my life, 
and the rejoicing of my heart. Forgive me, I 
beseech thee, good Lord, all this which I be- 
wail before thee, and heal the indisposedness in me, 
which makes thy service a weariness to me ; and so 
renew my spirit and draw and join my heart to thy 



for Skill to carry ourselves aright. 213 

blessed self, that I may not serve thee as out of com- 
pulsion, but inclination ; not as forcing myself but 
loving thy work. O rid my mind of that torment- 
ing dread which makes me uneasy in the service of 
my Lord : and give me a heavenly heart set upon 
the heavenly business, and such a mighty love as 
may sweeten all my obedience, that I may not ac- 
count it grievous or tedious, but my soul's satis- 
faction and exceeding joy. O let me not serve thee, 
my God, with the spirit of bondage as a slave, but 
with the cheerfulness and gladness of an ingenuous 
child, sitting down with delight under thy shadow, 
delighting myself in the Lord, and so be pleased with 
thy work, that my services may also be pleasing in* 
thy sight through Jesus Christ. Ametu 

A Prayer for Skill to carry ourselves aright 
among all with whom we are concerned in the 
World. 

OLORD my God! I desire to humble myself 
in thy sight for all the folly, indecency, and 
disorder of my conduct ; that I have so frequently 
failed in it, and so foully miscarried and lost myself 
in my intercourse with my neighbors, that my ex- 
ample has too often tended more to the hardening, 
than to the converting of sinners : and that I have 
lain as a stumbling-block, and rpek of offence in the 
way of my brethren, not only prone to be tempted 
with evil, and to be overcome myself, but also be- 
coming a temptation and snare to others, so as to 
draw them to sin, or to embolden them in it. 
Though thou hast shewed me what is good, and 
made me to know better things, and laid the greatest 
engagement upon me to be faithful in thy covenant, 
yet, O how apt have I been to lose my relish of the 



214 A Prayer 

things of God among sinful men ! how apt to be 
carried into folly with the stream of the company, to 
fall into base compliance, and consent with sinners, 
and follow the multitude to do evil. 

O my God ! give me repentance and pardon for 
all my own sins, and for all the guilt which I have 
contracted in being accessary to the sins of others ; 
and so fortify me with thy grace, that I may not be 
in such danger to be awed or seduced out of my re- 
ligion ; that I may never be ashamed of Christ be- 
fore men, but boldly appear for thy truth and holi- 
ness, even in the face of an evil and faithless genera- 
tion. O teach me to walk in wisdom towards them 
that are without, and in kindness towards them that 
are within; and without offence, in prudence and 
usefulness, to all. Make me wise in the choice, 
and in the use of my company, that they may not 
be to me, nor I to them, an occasion of falling ; but 
that we may be mutual helps and edifiers of one 
another, and examples of all that is good, and imita-- 
ble and praise-worthy. O great Lord ! make me so 
faithful to thee, and to my own conscience, that no 
conversation with any in the world may discompose 
the religious frame of my soul, that I may not be 
startled at any bold censure of thy ways and wis- 
dom, nor ever draw back from thee, for the con- 
tradiction of sinners ; but cease from man whose 
breath is in his nostrils ; for wherein is he to be ac- 
counted of. O turn my fear of their faces into love 
of their immortal souls, who are my fellow- servants 
m thy work, and fellow-travellers to our long home ; 
and should be faithful, and would be happy. And 
where I cannot promote their duty and felicity, vet 
grant, O Lord, that they may not hinder mine ; that 
where I am not edified, I may not be corrupted by 
them. 



for Grace to use our Speech aright. 215 

O my God ! may thy presence ever sway me 
more than the presence of any men, that I may 
count it a small thing to be judged of them, and 
not be determined by their way or humor, but re- 
gard my own conscience more than other's opinion, 
and do all in the sight of God, heartily as to the 
Lord ; not in^so much care to ingratiate myself with 
any else as to please the great Judge of all. Yet 
keep thy servant, O Lord, from giving scandal and 
offence to any ; that I may not by pride and pas- 
sion, by vanity and indiscretion, or by morosity 
and sour opposition, disparage my profession, nor 
make the way of truth through me to be evil spo- 
ken of; but help me, my God and Guide, to walk 
circumspectly, and to speak and act with due con- 
sideration of all times and places, persons and cir- 
cumstances, that I may wisely behave myself, and 
guide my affairs with discretion, and so go in and 
out among men upon earth, as to preserve my in- 
tegrity in thy sight, and have my conversation in 
heaven, and still enjoy that most blessed friendship 
with thee, my heavenly Father, and thy dear Son, 
my only Saviour. Amen. 

A Prayer for Grace to me our Speech aright. 

OLORD our gracious God! who hast given 
us reason and speech to express our minds 
to one another, and to converse comfortably togeth- 
er : What great cause have we to praise thee, that 
we are so fearfully and wonderfully made ! and our 
tongues that are our glory, and most of all so, when 
with them we set forth thy glory ; but alas ! that I 
have so much cause to humble myself for all the 
abuses of my tongue ; and that I have so many 
ways perverted the happy privilege of speaking, 



216 A Prayer 

either holding my peace where I should have spoken 
to thy honor and the good of my neighbor : dumb 
and tongue-tied to thy praise and to pious confer- 
ence with thy servants ; or else pouring out words 
to dishonor thy name, to wrong my own soul, and 
to offend and injure others. Forgive me, O mer- 
ciful God, I beseech thee, all my sinful silence, my 
vain and idle words, and my evil corrupt communi- 
cation, and help me so to speak, as to express thy 
grace in my heart, and to minister the same to my 
hearers. Set a watch, O Lord, before my mouthy 
and keep the door of my lips, that nothing thence 
may proceed but what shall be, some way or other, 
good for the use of edifying. Help me to keep my 
mouth as with a bridle, when I am provoked to 
speak unadvisedly with my lips ; and let no profane 
or filthy speeches proceed out of my mouth, nor 
any thing be said by me, that ought not to be nam- 
ed among Christians. 

O Lord, open thou my lips, that my mouth may 
shew forth thy praise ; make me forward to speak 
for thee, and for the service of thy truth, and the 
glory of thy name ; but as slow to speak evil, and 
to defile myself, or to hurt my neighbor. Give me, 
Lord, a considerate mind to weigh what is fit to be 
said ; and make me wise and serious, sober and mo- 
dest, pious and charitable in what I speak, that it 
may be without offence, but not without some profit 
to the partners in my conversation. O fill my heart 
with such grace, that out of the good treasure I may 
be ever and anon producing somewhat to oblige the 
company, and to advance thy glory ; and put such 
thoughts into my mind, and such words into my 
mouth, that my tongue may be as the pen of a ready 
writer, to utter things seasonable, and acceptable, 
for the benefit of my associates; and that I may 



for the convinced Sinner.- 217 

never abuse the liberty of speech into the licentious- 
ness of vain or evil- speaking ; but turn and employ- 
it to the wise and good and worthy ends for which 
it was given ; and speak of and for thy testimonies, 
ever; before ihe greatest, without being ashamed. 

O Lord ! restrain the blasphemous and brutish 
generation, that set their mouths against heaven, and, 
out of those open sepulchres, belch forth impieties 
and impurities, to dishonor him that made them ; to 
grieve the souls of thy servants, and to spread the 
contagion of their ungodliness. O fill their face 
with shame for what they have done and their hearts 
with dread, to stop them from proceeding so any 
farther. Confound the viperous brood that hiss and 
vent their venom against thy holy ways, and give 
them other tongues, that they may use thy gifts to 
better purpose. O let the lying lips be put to si- 
lence, that speak grievous things proudly and con- 
temptuously against the righteous. And let such as 
fear thee, and think upon thy name, speak often to 
one another ; so as to promote and set forward their 
common edification and consolation, and eternal sal- 
vation, through thy goodness to them in Jesus Christ, 
Amen* 

The convinced $i?i?ter'$ Prayer. 

HEARKEN to the voice of my cry, my King 
and my God ; for unto thee will I pray ; but 
wherewithal shall I appear before the Lord, and bow 
myself to the most high God, whose holy laws I 
have broken, and whose just displeasure I have 
incurred ! I acknowledge my transgression, O 
Lord, and my sin is ever before me. My iniqui- 
ties are gone over my head, as a sore burden ; they 
are too heavy for me to bear. When thou with re- 
bukes $ost chasten man for iniquity, thou makest 

T 



218 The convinced Sinner's Prayer. 

his beauty to consume away like a moth. My sin 
now has found me out ; and that which once I 
thought too little to be repented, seems now too 
great to be pardoned. I flattered myself in my 
own eyes, till my iniquity is found to be hatefuL 
I thought I was rich and increased with goods, and 
had need of nothing ; but now. I find that I am mis- 
erable, and wretched, and poor, and blind, and nak- 
ed ; so that there is nothing but disorder and ruin 
in my sou). I have undone myself ; but to work 
my own recovery I have no sufficiency. O how 
wicked have I been to allow myself in the way and 
mind which is enmity against God ! How ignorant, 
yet how confident ! How vile, yet how arrogant ! 
In what need of mercy, yet how unmerciful ; how 
sinful, yet how impenitent : how bold in the sins 
where conscience reproved me, but how cold in the 
cause where thy Spirit encouraged me! Oh the 
spoils, and ruins, and desolations which my sins 
have made in my soul ; how have they darkened 
my mind, perverted my will, defaced. my affections, 
disordered my passions, hardened my heart, and se- 
duced it away from my most good and ever blessed 
God, to cleave unto the things displeasing in thy 
sight, and destructive to my soul ! 

There is no hiding any thing from thee, the in- 
finite God, who fillest heaven and earth. — What 
shall I say unto thee, Lord ? I scarce know how to 
say bad enough of myself. O woe is me that I 
have done so foolishly and wickedly ! whither shall 
I betake myself when against thee, O Lord, I have 
so sinned, and done such evil in thy sight ! Thou 
art the offended Majesty, out of whose reach I can- 
not escape, and under whose judgments I can never 
be able to bear up. A guilty consciousness 
should make me afraid to come unto thee ; yet I 



The convinced Sinner's Prayer. 219 

know there is nothing but certain destruction to 
keep away from thee ; and though there is no peace 
to the wicked so continuing ; yet if the wicked for- 
sake his way, and the unrighteous man his thoughts, 
and return to the Lord, thy promise then, O God, 
is to have mercy upon him, and abundantly to par- 
don. I have none to seek to for remedy against my* 
sins, but unto the just and holy God, against whom 
I have grievously sinned ; and how shall I stand in 
thy sight, O Lord, who hatest and condemnest the 
works of darkness, and the workers of iniquity, 
whose wrath against sin burns as deep as hell, and 
as long as eternity. 

I submit, great Lord, to thy offended Majesty ! 
and I have no hopeful prospect, looking any way, 
but to thy Almighty power, thy super- abounding 
grace, and thy ever- enduring mercy, who at the low- 
est can raise, and at the worst art able to relieve us. 
Nothing is too hard for thee to effect ; the most 
wretched case is not past thy cure ; though our sins 
be as scarlet, thou canst make them as white as snow ; 
though they be red like crimson, thou canst make 
them as wool ; yea, thou hast found a ransom, and 
laid help upon one that is mighty, and able to save to 
the uttermost all that come to God through him. If 
I had not sinned, I had no need of such a Redeemer ^ 
but they were sinners whom he came to save ; and 
therefore, to the Lord Jesus I look with the de- 
sire of my soul to find a healing for this sinful soul 
of mine, in the precious blood of his cross. O good 
God ! when my sins cry to thee for vengeance, be 
thou pleased to hear his blood and merits pleading 
and interceding for my soul ; and speaking better 
things in my behalf than I am able to do for myself, 
in all my prayers. 

Behold, O merciful Lord, a miserable object on 



220 The convinced Si?iner' i s Prayer. 

which to glorify thy power and compassion, thy 
wonderful work, and great salvation ! O look upon 
me in my blood, and bid me live. Speak death to 
my sins, that my soul may live, and for ever bless 
thy name. Turn away thy face from my sins, and 
blot out all my iniquities. For thy name's sake, O 
Lord, pardon my sin, for it is great ; too great for 
any but the God of infinite goodness and love ever 
to discharge me from. O magnify thy all-sufficien- 
cy to help me out in this my woful misery. Make 
the happy experiment upon my poor soul, how great 
things worthy of God thou canst do ; that where sin 
hath abounded thy grace may much more abound. 
Return, O Lord, deliver my soul ; O save me for 
thy mercy's sake : save me from the guilt and filth, 
from the power and curse of all my sins. And thou, 
Lord, that knowest how to deliver, make me some 
way to escape out of the desperate straits and per- 
plexities into which my sins have cast me, that my 
iniquities may not hang upon me to be my ruin ; 
but that they be taken away and forgiven, and wash- 
ed out with the blood of Jesus Christ. O turn thou 
me, Lord God of my salvation, and I shall be turn- 
ed from my sins, and from this present evil world, 
more effectually and fully to thy blessed self. O 
give me such conviction as may end in sound con- 
version ; and let me experience in myself that 
grace of God which bringeth salvation. I want thy 
grace, O Lord ; and want it I shall for ever, if thou 
be not pleased to look graciously upon me in my 
blessed Redeemer. But thou wilt never have the 
less, how much soever thou bestowest: and thou 
canst not bestow thy grace upon any one that more 
needs it. O God of all grace, that keepest mercy 
for thousands, hast thou not a blessing for me ? a 
spiritual heavenly blessing ! For thy dear Son, my 



A Prayer for the troubled SouL 221 

only Saviour's sake, let me find such grace in thy 
sight. O get thee everlasting glory in so obliging 
the unworthy : and whatever I want, O deny me 
not that saving grace which, though a precious trea- 
sure that I am bold to ask, yet it is not too great or 
good for the God infinitely great and good to give. 
O do that work of thy grace thoroughly upon my 
heart, for which I may have cause to glorify thy 
name for evermore. Amen. 

A Prayer for the troubled SouL 

OGOD of the spirits of all flesh ! thou know- 
estthe grievous torment of a wounded spirit ; 
and hast promised not to break the bruised reed, nor 
quench the smoking flax : Have pity, Lord of love, 
upon thy disconsolate servant, whose spirit is sore 
broken, and overwhelmed within him ; and relieve 
and heal and comfort him with thy peace, and some 
tokens for good, that thou hast thoughts of love and 
everlasting mercy towards him, O blessed Jesus, 
whocallest to thee the laboring and heavy laden sin- 
ners, with the promise of rest for their souls, give 
some glimpse of thy mercy and faith in thy merits 
and promises to this poor troubled soul, cast down 
with the sense of his sin, and the fear of thy wrath. 
The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit : a broken 
and a contrite heart, O God, thou wilt not despise. 
Ohide not thy face from thy servant, nor cast him 
away from thy presence in displeasure ; but speak 
peace to him, and cause thy grace to shine upon him. 
^ O God of consolation, be thou pleased to cheer 
him up with the hope and belief of thy pardon and 
acceptance, and give him a comfortable affiance- in 
thee, and the witness of thy Spirit with his spirit, to 
persuade him that he is the child of God, whom 
T 2 



222 A Prayer for the troubled Soul. 

thou lovest though thou chastenest, and with thy 
terrors preparest him for thy comforts,. O that he 
may see love in the rod, and take it as the chastise- 
ment of a kind Father, and not the vengeance of an 
incensed Judge ; and that he may find this humilia- 
tion working for his everlasting consolation ; seeing 
they that mourn are blessed, and shall be comforted, 
and such as sow in tears shall reap in joy. O that 
his sorrow may be the godly sorrow which works 
repentance, not to be repented of : that it may have 
such a happy issue, and end in unspeakable glorious 
joy ; but let him not sorrow as one without hope, 
seeing the trouble for sin is a preservative from the 
damnation of hell ; and such as are now in glory 
went this very way to heaven, working out their sal- 
vation with fear and trembling ; and so feeling the 
burden of sin here, that they might not lie under it 
for ever. Therefore, though he walk in darkness, 
and has no light, yet let him trust in the name of 
the Lord, and stay upon his God. 

O Lord ! rebuke him not in thy anger, neither 
chasten him in thy sore displeasure ; but return and 
set him free from the heavy pressure now upon him. 
Be pleased, O Lord, to deliver him ; O Lord make 
haste to help him. Quicken him for thy name's 
sake : and for thy righteousness sake bring his soul 
out of trouble. Thou hast shewed him great and 
sore troubles ; be thou pleased to revive him again, 
that he may rejoice in thee. Shew him thy mercy, 
O Lord and grant him thy salvation. O refresh 
him early with such thy mercy, that he may be 
glad, and rejoice in thee all his days, when thou hast 
considered his trouble as thou hast known his soul 
in adversity, that thy name may have the glory, and 
his soul the comfort of thy seasonable relief, and thy 
sweet abundant mercies in Jesus Christ. Amen. 



[ 223 ] 

A Prayer for the Enjoyment of God's gracious Pre- 
sence and divine Communion, 



OTHOU infinite Majesty of heaven and earthy 
who canst no where be absent, but filleth all 
things ! no place is so desolate as to be without 
thee : no men so bad, but they life and move, and 
have their being in thee. Yea, the very devils are 
not out of thy reach, but aware of thy presence, 
though to their cost ; and even in hell thou art 
there ; but to thy people and saints, that are of the 
household of God, and bear thy image, and know 
thy voice, and how to prize thy love, to them thou 
art pleased to open and communicate thyself in an 
especial favorable manner, and to go in and out 
among them as the children of thy family ; and, in 
the most wonderful condescension, to treat them as 
thy friends and favorites ; to revive their spirits and 
to cheer their, hearts ; and thou hast promised that 
thou wilt not leave them comfortless ; but come to 
- them and dwell in them, and be their God, and let 
them be thy people. Thus thou dost manifest thyself 
to them, though not to the world ; for the ungodly 
are far from thee, and live without God in the world. 
Our sins, alas ! do make the cursed wall of separa- 
tion between thee and our souls ; and for my sins, 
O how justly mightest thou, Lord, forsake me, and 
cast me off in displeasure, and hide away thy face, 
and keep at a distance from me, and abandon me 
over to my wretched self, as an enemy whom thou 
canst not love, but disdainest to look upon. 

But though my ill deserts at thy hands may well 
provoke such thy indignation against me, yet let my 
forlorn estate without thee, move thy compassion to- 
wards me ; and where thou canst not take pleasure 



224 A Prayer for God's Presence. 

in me, yet, Father of mercies, have pity on me, and 
cast me not away from thy presence, nor abhor, nor 
forsake me for thy name's sake, and for the sake of 
that mercy which has moved thee to do so much al- 
ready for me, and so far to discover thy grace upon 
me. O come to me, and make me such as that 
thou mayest abide with me, and rejoice over me to 
do me good. My soul is as a desolate wilderness, a 
confused chaos ; yea, even the image of hell with- 
out thee, my God, while thou art not with my spirit, 
I live wickedly to thy dishonor and I know not how 
soon I shall die wretchedly, to my own eternal un- 
doing, if thou cast not an eye of pity upon me ; if 
thou make not haste in mercy to help me. O Eman- 
uel, God with us ! for thy mercy's sake, for thy 
promise sake, for my misery's sake, see me lying 
afar off, and bring me nigh through the blood of thy 
cross. O bring me out of my strangeness to thee, 
and my distance from thee, that I may be safe under 
the shadow of thy wings, and happy in the solace of 
thy love. 

If thou reject me, O my God, what company or 
comforts of the world can then avail, or make any re- 
compence for the loss of thy favor, in which is life, 
and without which I am dead while I live, and shall 
be for ever accursed when I die. Bat if thou be 
with me, and lift up the light of thy countenance 
upon me, I shall have heavenly fellowship, and over- 
flow with unspeakable joy. Even in the absence of 
all other friends and comforts I shall not need, I shall 
not desire them, when I can go to God my exceed- 
ing joy, and be taken up with my blessed Lord, in 
whose presence is fulness of joy. O blessed are they 
whom thou chuscst and causest to approach so nigh 
unto thee, O Lord, and who are so highly favored 
by thee, whose gracious presence can make the 



A Prayer for GocPs Presence. 225 

poorest cottage better than the stateliest palace, and 
fill the hearts of thy servants with such divine de- 
lights, to which the greatest men of the world are 
strangers. O what manner of love is this, that the 
great God of heaven should vouchsafe to visit and 
reside with poor mortals on earth ! And O that my 
soul were fit to be the habitation of the King of glo- 
ry. But, Lord, how unworthy am I that thou 
shouldest come under my roof. O blessed Jesus, 
be thou pleased to regard my undone state without 
thee, and my restless longings after thee, and be 
pleased to come unto me, dear Lord, not because I 
deserve, but because*I need thee; not for my merits* 
but for thy own, who art worthy ; for whose sake 
I should be so favored from on high. My Lord and 
my God, whom have I in heaven but thee ? and 
there is none upon earth that I desire besides thee. 
O be not as a stranger to the soul in which thou 
hast planted an inclination to serve thee, but bless 
and honor me with that divine fellowship of which 
thou hast made me not only capable, but desirous ; 
and give me the satisfaction to find what thou hast 
given me a heart to seek ; yea, give me grace, O 
my Lord, to go on seeking till I find thee whom my 
soul desires above all to love ; let me endure any 
thing easier than thy absence and displeasure, arid 
desire nothing so much as thy presence and favor. 

And be not thou far from me, O my God, but 
let me experience thy gracious presence with me, 
and the goodness of the Lord passing before me. 
Lord Jesus, be with my spirit, and dwell in my 
heart by faith ; as thou hast promised to be with thy 
lovers and followers always, even to the end of the 
world; Lord, for thy mercy's sake, blot out my 
sins ; and then, for thy promise sake, come and vis- 
it my soul. O make me such as I should be to- 



%26 A Prayer for heavenly Comforts. 

wards thee, and such as thou mayest take pleasure 
in me; and then shew thyself unto me with the fa- 
vor which thou bearest to thy people ; and may thy 
gracious abode with me now on earth, be to me a 
comfortable earnest of my glorious abode with thee 
for ever in thy heavenly kingdom. Be with me, O 
my Saviour, every where, and at all times, in health 
and in sickness, in prosperity and trouble, in all es- 
tates, and in all events and circumstances of my life ; 
to sanctify and sweeten to me whatever befais me ; v 
and never leave nor forsake me in my present pil- 
grimage here, till thou hast brought me safe through 
all trials and dangers to be ever with the Lord ; there 
to live in thy sight, and love, and glory, world with- 
out end, Amen* 

A Prayer for heavenly Comforts. 

OMOST blessed Lord, the God of all conso- 
lation, who comfortest those that are cast 
down, and givest such peace and joy, as the world 
can neither give nor take away ; I confess myself 
unworthy of so much as any good look from thy gra- 
cious eye, or any glimpse of the light of thy counten- 
ance, to be lifted up upon my soul. I deserve to 
be in heaviness for my sins, to groan under the op- 
pressive burden, even all my days, and at last to go 
down in sorrow to my grave ; but because thou 
knowest. Lord, our danger to surfeit on the pleas- 
ures of sin, when thou withholdest heavenly conso- 
lation from us ; and that the joy of the Lord is our 
strength, to carry us on with fidelity and alacrity in 
the way of our duty : I beseech thee, O Lord of love, 
to speak peace to my conscience, and say to my soul, 
that thou art my salvation : To fortify me against 
the stolen sinful pleasures, and to engage my heart 



A Prayer for heavenly Comforts* 227 

to a faithfulness in the covenant of my God ; I beg 
of thee some tokens of thy love to me, some discov- 
eries of the light of thy countenance upon me, some 
experience of the joy of thy blessed Spirit in me; 
my soul thirstethfor thee, my God, to see thy pow- 
er, and thy glory, so as I have seen thee in the sanc- 
tuary. How long wilt thou forget me, O Lord, for 
ever ? How long wilt thou hide thy face from me I 
How long shall I take counsel in my soul, having 
sorrow in my heart daily ? O cause thy face to 
shine upon me, let my heart rejoice in thee, because 
I have trusted in thy holy name. Let my mouth 
be filled with thy praise, and with thy honor all the 
day long ; and let my soul be satisfied as with mar- 
row and fatness, when I praise thee with joyful lips. 
Whether I come in or be left out, in the distribu- 
tion of thy common favors, which thou scatterest 
with an indifferent hand amongst all sorts of men, O 
remember me Lord, with the favor which thou bear- 
est to thy people, and visit me with thy salvation ; 
that I may see the good of thy chosen, that I may re- 
joice in the gladness of thy nation, and glory with 
thy inheritance. O that I may experience the joy 
arid peace in believing, and rejoice in Christ Jesus, 
and count thy love better than wine, and prefer it 
above my chiefestjoy. Seeing the work of right- 
eousness is peace, and the effect of it quietness and 
assurance for ever ! O make me the true and faith- 
ful subject of that spiritual kingdom, which is right- 
eousness and peace, and joy in the Holy Ghost. 
O let me so taste that the Lord is gracious, and 
give me such feelings of thy Spirit's operation in 
me ; such witness with my spirit, such hopes of 
thy glory, and such token for my good, to persuade 
and assure my heart of thy everlasting love and 
favor in Christ Jesus, to my soul, that my soul 



228 A Prayer for a converted Sinner. 

may bless thee, O Lord, and all that is within me, 
may praise thy holy name ! And that the satisfac- 
tion and delight which I take in thy service, may 
also invite in others to give up themselves to it ; 
and so thou, the blessed Giver of all joy and com- 
fort, mayest by us all be glorified, through Jesus 
Christ. Amen. 

A Prayer and Praise for a converted Simier. 

I WILL praise thee, O Lord my God, with all 
my heart, and I will glorify thy name for ev- 
ermore ; so great is thy mercy towards me, that 
thou hast delivered my soul from the lowest hell. 
My lips therefore shall greatly rejoice, when I sing 
to thee, and my soul which thou hast redeemed, 
shall make her boast in the Lord. For I was 
darkness, but now am light in the Lord ; I was 
dead, and am alive again ; I was lost and am found. 
When no eye pitied me, and when I had not a heart 
to pity myself, then didst thou, Lord of love, look 
upon me in my blood, and bid me live. O sinful 
wretch ! that I should be taken, and others left ! I 
stand amazed at thy kindness and love, O God my 
Saviour, for all the great things which thou hast 
done for my soul, more than if thou hadst given me 
wealth, and strength, and wit, and beauty, to the 
admiration of all ; more than if thou hadst set me 
up with the princes of the earth, and blessed me with 
all the fulness and glory of the world ; for O how soon 
do all these things pass away and perish ! but the word 
of God, by which I am born again, lives and abides 
for ever. The grace of God, which brings sal- 
vation, appearing to me, is in me a well of water 
springing up to everlasting life. O God of all 
grace ! who hadst such thoughts of mercy towards 
me, even when I was in enmity against thee, and 



For a converted Sinner. 229 

did nothing but forget and provoke thee, thou wilt 
not despise the day of small things, nor cast me 
off for the failings of my services, after thou hast 
wrought in me some good things towards thee, and 
brought my soul from the gates of hell, within pros* 
pect of the heavenly glory. 

O what great and sore troubles hast thou shewed 
me ! yet didst thou turn again and refresh me, and 
comfort me on every side with the most reviving 
and richest of all mercy. I must for ever have per- 
ished, if thou Lord, hadst not brought me from my 
deadness in trespasses and sins, to newness of life ; 
and better I never had been born, if I had not been 
newborn. O blessed change ! and mighty work, 
worthy of God ! O the riches of grace, and the won- 
ders of divine power and love ! What shall I ren- 
der to the Lord for these greatest of all benefits, 
which I am not able so much as worthily to express ? 
I can never enough admire and bless thee, O my 
God, for thy love to my soul, which thou hast 
brought to see the joy of thy salvation ; how thou 
didst bear with me in all my dulness and perverse- 
ness, and what work thou hadst to bring me into 
any good hopeful way for the heavenly bliss. Yet 
wouldst thou not suffer me to undo myself, but 
gavest me checks in the way of my sins, till thou 
hadst overcome my heart by thy almighty grace, and 
brought me home to thy blessed self; and from the 
slavish dread of thy wrath, to the sweet apprehen- 
sions of thy love. 

Bless the Lord, O my soul, and all that is within 
me, bless his holy name. My God and Saviour, I 
was hopeless and helpless, and at the lowest thou 
hast remembered me ; at the worst thou hast hoi- 
pen and comforted me ; the fear of hell was upon 
me ; and thou hast set me above that killing dread, to 
U 



230 A Prayer after a Relapse* 

rejoice in hope of thy glory. I thank thee, O Fath- 
er, Lord of heaven and earth, that thou hast hid 
these things from the wise and prudent, and hast 
revealed! them unto babes. O who am I, unwor- 
thy wretch, that I should be made so happily to 
differ from any others, and from my former self! 

what have I done to invite such saving mercy to 
shine upon me, when so great a part of the world is 
still in darkness, and in the shadow of death. I am 
unworthy, Lord, I am unworthy, but thou art the 
God infinitely good, and abundant in mercy. 

O blessed God of my salvation, accept the obla- 
tion of myself, and all my services, together with 
my thanks and praise, for this thy love in Christ 
Jesus, wherewith thou hast so eternally obliged me 
to thyself. To give all glory to thee, O what abun- 
dant cause hast thou given me, when as I have no 
good thing on earth, but of thy bounty, and am out 
of hell, only through thy mercy. And O that my 
life may be spent in thy dearest love, and in thy 
faithful service, ever delighting to do thy will, O my 
God ! as I am the receiver of such mercies, so make 
me the preacher of thy praises. Let me bless thee, 
Lord, at all times, and have thy praise continually 
in my mouth, even while I have my being. Ac- 
cept, O gracious Father, and continue me for thy 
own, and make me still fitter for thy blessed accep- 
tance in Jesus Christ my Saviour. Amen. 

A Prayer after a Relapse into Sin. 

OMY God ! I am filled with confusion to lift 
up my face unto thee, from whom I have so 
foolishly and wickedly departed ; and against whom 

1 have*, so greatly and provokingly sinned. I am 
Ashamed to confess unto thee what, alas ! I have 



A Prayer after a Relapse* 231 

not been afraid to commit against thee. Thou, 
Lord, hast made me to know better, but I have 
held the truth in unrighteousness, and therefore de- 
serve to be beaten with many stripes, for sinning so 
against my own knowledge. Yea, how oft have I 
been taught, -as with briars and thorns, what an evil 
and bitter thing it is to trespass upon thelL,ord, as I 
have done ! and yet, worse than a child or brute, I 
have run upon the offences for which I knew I must 
sadly repent, or do worse ; nor have I only resisted 
the clearest light and conviction, but trampled on the 
richest grace and love ; therefore I am inexcusable, 
O righteous Lord ! and have nothing to say in my 
own defence : no, the guilt which I have contracted, 
stops my mouth. O into what a depth am I fallen ! 
and is there any hope now for one that has so wilful- 
ly spoiled himself as I have done I The pardon and 
grace which I am necessitated to come begging at 
thy hands, O my Lord, how much greater are they 
than I have any reason to expect ! yet not greater 
than thou, the God of all grace, canst give ; nor 
greater than thou hast also promised to bestow even 
upon the greatest sinners, repenting and returning 
to thee. It is thy reviving word to such, that thou 
wilt have mercy upon them, and abundantly pardon ; 
and though men may be false, and -their offers but 
ensnarements, yet faithfulness itself can never de- 
ceive us. 

Seeing thou hast made such a way for our redemp- 
tion, O God of all grace, to heal and save our poor 
lost souls, by the stripes and death of thy own be- 
loved Son ; O that the blessed Saviour whom thou 
hast sent into the world, may exercise his power and 
pity, and great salvation upon me, in this my woful 
condition ! and make me some way to escape, that I 
may not be thus taken captive by the tempter at 



232 A Prayer after a Relapse. 

his will. Good God ! there is nothing in me but 
misery to move thy mercy. O fetch arguments of 
pity from thy own infinite goodness, and thy tender 
inclinations, to compassionate and relieve poor sin- 
ners returning to thee, after they have foolishly misbe- 
haved themselves and wickedly rebelled against thee. 
Mercy, O Lord, mercy I beg of thee, for mercy's 
sake: O let thy compassion spare me, and withhold 
thy justice from proceeding against me. I have sin- 
ned as a silly wicked man ; O Lord, pardon and 
heal me, as an Almighty and most merciful God. I 
have gone astray like a lost sheep ! O seek thy ser- 
vant, Lord, and bring me back to the Shepherd and 
Bishop of my soul. Wilt thou take this sad oppor- 
tunity to advance thy everlasting glory, in pitying 
the worst of fools, in saving the chief of sinners ? 
For thy name sake, O Lord, pardon my iniquity, 
which is so exceedingly great. O absolve me from 
the guilt, deliver me from the power, cleanse me from 
the pollution, and save me from the punishment of 
this, and all my offences, that expose me to thy 
wrath, and indispose me for thy service ; estranging 
me from thee, and hindering the freedom of my love 
and delight in thee. 

Lord of love, the God of my mercy, heal my 
backslidings, that I may not again return to folly. 
O let me vow and pay to the Lord my God ; and 
so go forth in thy strength, that thou may est confirm 
my resolution, and enable me to perform what I 
have promised. O thou compassionate succorer of 
the tempted, lead me not into temptation, but, by 
thy grace and mighty aid, secure me so to thyself, 
that I may not only in this day of confusion and an- 
guish, when my wounds are fresh bleeding upon 
me, but in all times to come, humble my soul, and 
hate my sin, and take heed to my ways ; and with 



A Prayer wider any foul FalL 233 

purpose of heart cleave to the Lord, and keep in 
thy holy fear and love to my life's end. Amen. 

Another humbling Office wider any foul FalL 

OJUST and holy God, what shall I say unto thee, 
and how shall I shew my face before thee, af- 
ter I have so highly affronted thy glorious Majesty, 
and violated thy righteous commands, striking more 
wounds still into my wofully- distressed conscience, 
O that I should have the sad occasion to come upon 
the same account, to confess and bewail the sin 
which I have so often confessed and bewailed. Ho- 
ly Lord, I am ashamed that I have this need to beg ; 
and afraid lest my sins have so provoked thee, that I 
should beg in vain ; for sin, when it is finished, 
brings forth death; it destroys our grace, and peace, 
and comfort now ; and, without the interposition of 
infinite mercy, it will destroy soul and body eternal- 
ly. And when I am under the desert of that con- 
demnation, O what mercy from the Father of mer- 
cies, do I experience, that it is not executed upon 
me ! What patience, but that of the long-suffering 
God, would ever bear with such as provoke him ev- 
ery day, when he could so easily break out in fury, 
and avenge him of his adversary ! O how justly 
mightest thou, Lord, refuse to hear me now crying 
to thee in the anguish of my soul ; who have so of- 
ten refused to hear thee calling upon me by the mo- 
tions of thy holy Spirit ! O the spoils, and havoc, 
and desolation, which my sin has made in my soul ! 
So many aggravations of this sin, do make it beyond^ 
measure sinful till I am become vile in my own 
eyes. And such frequent falls do ruin my hopes, 
and render my case so extremely hazardous, that I 
am ready to fear, lest mercy should quite have done 
U2- 



234 A Prayer under any foul FalL 

with me, and abandon me over to my wretched self, 
and leave me to be filthy still, and to lie and perish 
in my sins, because I have revolted still more and 
more. 

I abhor myself and humble my soul here in the 
dust before thee, O Lord ! and because I have made 
so bold with thy laws, I am sorely afraid of thy 
judgments. My sins have taken such hold of me, 
that my heart fails me ; yet, Lord, if thou wilt, thou 
canst make me clean, and make me whole. I come 
therefore in hope to beg the so often forfeited life of 
my poor soul, at thy blessed hands ; for thou that 
hast charged us to forgive an offending brother sev- 
enty times seven, (even as oft as he repents) wilt not 
thyself be harder to thy offenders, when they become 
penitent seekers of thy mercy : no, though we so 
often forget our duty, thou canst never forget thy 
mercy. A woman may sooner forget her compas- 
sions to the fruit of her womb, than the Lord of love 
will forget his kindness to his children. And to 
the mercy that has hitherto so wonderfully endured 
me, O my Lord, I seek and beg now this addition, 
even the further prolonging yet of thy patience to- 
wards me. 

In the day of trouble I will call upon thee, for thou 
wilt answer me. I believe, Lord, thy power and 
thy readiness to relieve poor sinners repairing to 
thee ; and to that end didst thou, O blessed Saviour, 
come into the world, and shed thy precious blood, 
to atone for our guilt, and to cleanse us from all our 
sins. O that I, who have the greatest need, may feel 
the happy benefit ! that where sin has abounded, thy 
grace may much more abound. Look upon me, 
O Lord, as thou didst on thy offending disciple, to 
melt my heart into a kindly relenting, and penitent 
tonrernment for this great evil ; that I may look up- 



A Prayer under any foul Fall 235 

on him whom my sins have pierced and mourn ; and 
be in bitterness for the grievous offences that I have 
committed against the Lord of love, and the God of 
all my mercies. What is past I cannot recall ; but 
thou, my Jesus, canst remit it, and give me grace 
to repent it. O give me such true repentance for 
it, that thou mayest also give me full pardon of it 
and in thy great mercy, be reconciled to me, and 
at peace with me. 

And grant, O gracious Lord, that the custom of 
sinning may not so dull my sense of it, that I should 
commit these great sins with little remorse. Nor 
let it so increase my sinful inclinations, that I should 
be the servant of corruption, giving harbor and en- 
couragement to the cursed things, and taking part 
with the enemies of my own house, to be the worst 
tempter to myself. Be thou, O Lord, my strong 
tower of defence against them, and enable me to go 
on conquering and to conquer, till in the name of 
the Lord, I have destroyed them. So often have I 
fallen by their hands, that I fear lest one day I should 
so fall by them, as never to rise again ; but thou, 
my Strength and my Redeemer, art stronger than 
the strong one, and able yet to secure me. O bless- 
ed Keeper of Israel, keep back thy servant from 
presumptuous sins ; let them not have dominion over 
me ; that I may be upright and innocent from the 
great transgression; nor punish my past sins, by 
giving me up to commit sin with greediness, but 
subdue my iniquities that prevail against me ; and 
pluck me out of the mire and the snare, for thy 
mercy's sake. O that the same mercy, which has 
hitherto held the hand of justice from cutting me off, 
and so often spared me, may also forgive and re- 
new me, and so strengthen all the good things of thy 
grace in my soul, that I may be full of power tp 



236 Thanksgiving for a Recovery, Este. 

defend thy rights against these usurpations of the 
sinful part in me; and may be found so faithful un- 
til death, that thou mayest give me the crown of 
life ; not for any worth in me, but for the worthi- 
ness of thy Son, and for the sake of thy own ten- 
der mercies in Jesus Christ. Amen. 

Thanksgiving for a Recovery, after a fall into 
Sin. 

I BLESS thy name, O Lord my God, infinitely 
good, that thou hast kept me alive to this day ; 
and after all my ill carriage towards thee, and all my 
presumptuous boldness with diee, and manifold re- 
bellions against thee, thou hast not given me over as 
a prey to the deadly enemy of my soul, that seeks to 
devour me, but dost yet leave me a reserve of hope, 
and it is not in vain to seek thy face, and to wait for 
mercy at thy hands. O my God, how wonderful is 
thy patience in my eyes, that I have not perished in 
such sins. It is through thy grace that I come to 
pause and consider of my sin and danger, and the 
way to escape. And therefore hast thou so spared 
me in all my sins, that, by helping in such a desper-, 
ate case, thou mighest shew forth all the wonders 
of thy grace. 

O Father of mercies* hast thou yet a blessing for 
such a rebellious wretch ? And may I yet make 
bold to look for thy blessed favor, after I have done 
thee such infinite wrong ! O the inconceivable 
depths of thy goodness that are in thy gracious na- 
ture, to use me as a dear friend, who have misbeha- 
ved myself to wards thee, as the worst enemy, and to 
leave me hopes of pardon and heaven ; when it is 
mercy far above all my deserts, but to spare my life 
upon earth, and to keep my soul out of hell. And 



For spiritual Victory, 237 

hast thou, Lord, kept me to this day, and brought 
me through so many temptations and dangers in my 
life, to be avenged on me, and to destroy me at last? 

my gracious Father, the God of all my mercies, 

1 cannot think thou so delightest in my death. I 
have wronged thee too much with all my sins already ; 
and let me not add this now to the heavy score, to 
dishonor such tried mercy, with the base distrust, 
and despair of its continuance. O no ; I believe, 
Lord, help my unbelief, that thou art not willing I 
should perish, but by repentance come to salvation : 
and O what a gracious God have I, to deal so boun- 
tifully with me : and what a stony heart, to be no 
more affected with the richest mercy ! O what a life 
of sins, and what a life of mercies has been mine ! 
with amazement I reflect on both, to think how bad 
I have been towards thee, my Lord, and yet how 
good thou hast been to my soul. O that such won- 
ders of love may have the prevailing force upon my 
heart, to turn it against the sins that have engaged 
me in such rebellion against the Lord, and to bring 
me nearer to my God than ever I have been ; and 
to make me more abound in thy love, and more de- 
light in thy service than ever I have done. O that 
I may never commit sins so great against the God 
so infinitely good, but be warned by these escapes, 
and won by these mercies, to be more watchful and 
faithful in keeping myself from my iniquity ; con- 
tinually fearing to offend, and endeavoring to please 
thee, my God, through Jesus Christ. Amen. 

Thanksgiving for spiritual Victory. 

OLORD God, almighty and most merciful, 
who givest strength and power to thy people ; 
and with the temptation makest them a way to es- 



238 For spiritual Victory. 

cape ! by thy grace I am what I am, and thy grace 
bestowed on me was not in vain, but helped me in 
time of need, to withstand and overcome the temp- 
tation wherewith I was assaulted. My own strengt h, 
Lord, thou knowest is but weakness, and my heart 
not to be trusted. But thy hand held me up, and 
by the help of my God, I have preserved my integ- 
rity, and so resisted the devil, as to make him flee 
from me. I find, O Lord, by sweet and joyful ex- 
perience, thy ways to be ways of pleasantness and 
paths of peace ; and that in observing thy laws there 
is great reward. O how much are the heavenly 
raptures of victory to be preferred before the filthy 
pleasures of sin ! shame and dread, and sorrow, are 
the cursed consequences of yielding to the tempter ; 
but glorying, and confidence, and the peace of God, 
and joy in the Holy Ghost, are the conqueror's por- 
tion. * 

I will greatly rejoice in the Lord ; my soul shall 
be joyful in my God, who has lifted me up, and not 
suffered my foes to triumph over me. They have 
thrust sore at me that I might fall, but the Lord 
helped me. The Lord is my strength and my 
song, and is become my salvation ; the voice of re- 
joicing and salvation is in the dwellings of the right- 
eous. The right hand of the Lord doth valiantly, 
and brings mighty things to pass. I shall not die 
but live, and declare the works of the Lord, and tell 
what he has done for my soul. Blessed be God, who 
has not turned away my prayer, nor his mercy from 
me. O Lord my God, thou hast been watchful 
over me for good, thou was nigh to me, thou hast 
shewed thy fatherly care of me, and in love to my 
soul hast thou preserved me, because thou hadst a 
favor to me. I am thine, and I will be thine, and 
will love thee, and bless thy name, and give thee 
thanks for ever. Amen, 



[ 239 ] 

A Prayer for greater Concernment and Diligence 
for the Sout, and the Things of another World* 

OLORD God, to whom I do owe myself and 
all that ever I am or have, thou hast given 
me my being, and my time and talents here in the 
world, as opportunities and advantages of thy ser- 
vice, and for the working out of my salvation. And 
O what have I to do upon earth, but to prepare my- 
self for heaven, when I am here placed between the 
infinite eternity of happiness and of misery, in a ca- 
pacity for the one, and in danger of the other. O 
what should be my care and utmost endeavor, but 
to flee from the wrath to come, and to lay hold on 
eternal life ; to provide well for my everlasting con- 
dition, and to make sure work for my immortal 
soul in this only time of preparation ; but O how 
negligent and careless have I been in that which 
most of all concerns me, doing every thing rather 
than tte great work which thou didst send me into 
the world to do ; and so thou mightest justly come 
upon me, Lord, with a dreadful surprise, to call me 
to my last account, in a day unlooked for, and at an 
hour that I should not be aware of; but for the sake 
of that mercy of thine in Christ Jesus, which has 
prevailed with 4hee to spare me so long, go on, I 
beseech thee, O my God, to be merciful to me, in 
forgiving me all my past sloth and negligence ; and 
in quickening me to a greater concernment and assi- 
duity, to redeem the time that I have lost, and to 
improve every present enjoyment to my soul's eternal 
advantage. O preserve me from all the distracting 
cares, and the sinful pleasures of this life ; and let 
me look less upon the temporal things that are seen ; 
and keep open my eyes towards the great unseen 
eternal things that are before me. O make me mom 



240 For Concernment and Diligence. 

concerned for my everlasting state, and more care- 
ful to do that work, which above all things in the 
world, is most needful to be done. O let me dread 
the doom of the slothful servant, and not be listless 
to the business that is of the greatest importance. 
Lord show me both the truth and reality, and also 
the worth and excellency of things to come ; both 
to dispel all my doubtings of them, and also to whet 
my earnest longings after them. O give me such a 
view and apprehension of my supreme eternal good, 
as may raise my desires after it, proportionably to it ; 
and make me so dissatisfied without it, that I may 
xount nothing too much to do, nothing too hard to 
endure, so that I may at last attain the blessed enjoy- 
ment of it. 

O let the meditation of hell be a preservative to 
deter me from all the ways leading to that dreadful 
end ; and may I so look to the heavenly joy set be- 
fore me, that with all vigor and alacrity I may put 
forth myself, to get safe into the possession of ever- 
lasting glory. O my God, give me the spirit of wis- 
dom from above, to discern the vast disproportion 
between the short moment of this present time, and 
the infinite duration of immortality ; and between 
the pleasures of sin, that are but for a season, and 
those heavenly pleasures that are at thy right hand 
for evermore. Seeing all these things must be dis- 
solved, O make me such a manner of person as I 
ought to be, in all holy conversation and godliness ; 
looking for, and hasting to, the coming of the day 
of God. Quicken me, O Lord, in my dulness, and 
hasten me out of my delays ; that I may not pro- 
long the time of doing what I am convinced is ne- 
cessary to be done ; to save me from the second 
death, and bring me to inherit eternal life. O ! to 
what purpose am I troubled and careful about many 



For Faithfulness, &V. 241 

things, when I neglect the one thing needful ! Help 
me, my God, to use the reason and understanding 
which thou hast given me, in looking before me, and 
considering what it is that makes for my true happi- 
ness ; and give me also resolution and faithfulness 
to choose and follow it, whatever difficulties at pre- 
sent may be in it. Help me, O Lord, to remember 
and consider all the powerful inducements, which 
may quicken me into a greater care for my eternal 
state; that my being may not last longer than the good 
of my being, but may it go well with me elsewhere 
for ever, when all that is here shall fail me. O that 
I may now give diligence to make my calling and 
election sure, and strive to enter in at the strait gate, 
and labor for that meat which endures to everlasting 
life ; by patient continuing in well-doing, seeking 
for glory, honor and immortality ; that I may not 
fall short of that rest which remains for the people 
of God : but so labor here in thy work, that hereaf- 
ter I may rest from my labors in thy kingdom ; not 
for the merit of my works but for thy mercy's sake 
in Jesus Christ. Amen. 

A Prayer for Faithfulness and Constancy in the 
Profession of our Religion. 

OMY Lord and my God, who hast called me 
to the knowledge of thy eternal truth, and by 
the light of the gospel shining upon me, hast made 
the way of life and salvation plain before me ! Be 
thou pleased to give me the ingenuity and courage 
still to confess thee before men ; and to own thy ho- 
ly religion, even in the face of an evil and adulter- 
ous generation. O let me not be tossed to and fro, 
and carried away with every wind of doctrine by the 
slight of men, and cunning craftiness, whereby they 



242 For Faithfulness, &c. 

lie in wait to deceive. My God and guide ! suffer 
me not to be led away with the error of the wicked 
and to fall from my own steadfastness ; but may I 
ever hold fast the profession of my faith without 
wavering, and hold the beginning of my confidence 
steadfast to the end. O give me such experimental 
knowledge and relish, and love of thy holy truth, as 
may make me ever faithful and true to it ; that my 
mind may not be corrupted from the simplicity that 
is in Christ, and that I may never be put out of that 
religion, the goodness whereof I have perceived so 
much by my own experience ; but may still appear 
with zeal for the religion in which I have found so 
much happy advantage, and heavenly satisfaction 
to my soul ; and grant me, good Lord, to find and 
feel still more and more of the powerful efficacy or 
true Christianity upon my heart, that I may be root- 
ed and grounded in the faith, and retain such a dear 
love of the truth, and take so much pleasure in the 
way which thy grace has put me upon, that I may 
never turn from it, nor prove false to it ; but not- 
withstanding all temptations to seduce or affright 
me out of it, I may openly declare for it, and ever 
be true to it, and faithfully persist in it to my life's 
end. Amen. 

A Prayer for Zeal and Activity in the Practice of 

our Religion. 

OLORD, the holy jealous God ! thou hast de- 
clared how loathsome to thee are the lukewarm, 
and pronounced him cursed that does the work of 
the Lord deceitfully ; and told us the dreadful doom 
of the slothful servant, who was called wicked, and 
condemned, not for committing foul evils, but for 
neglecting to improve his talents. Thou didst send 



For Zeal and Activity, &V. 243 

as into this world to provide for the next ; and we 
are a people devoted to the Lord, that have vowed 
and promised to serve our God, with all the utmost 
and best that we are or have : This is the one thing 
needful, that we were made for, and that we are all 
most strictly bound to, and must in earnest mind and 
follow it, as ever we would escape the damnation of 
hell, and enter into the joy of our Lord ; but I am 
ashamed, O my God, that I have loitered so long in 
thy vineyard, and trifled so much in thy work ; that 
I have busied myself about vanities ; and slighted 
my greatest business. And well may I now tremble 
for fear of thy judgments, when I have so little 
concerned and bestirred myself, as one of thy re- 
deemed, zealous of good works. 

O merciful Lord I forgive me all my sinful omis- 
sions, and all my careless performances of the duties 
of thy service ; and quicken me into a greater zeal 
and diligence to promote thy glory, and to work out 
my salvation; that I may not only contend earnestly 
for the faith and doctrine of the gospel, but be as 
zealous for the practice of all gospel duties ; so 
shewing that I am in earnest with the religion where- 
of I make profession, 

To glorify thy name, and save our souls, is the 
greatest of all our concerns in the world ; nothing 
can deserve so much of our care and zeal, and dili- 
gence ; when it is for a crown and a kingdom, for 
heaven and the glory eternal, and to be delivered 
from thy wrath and everlasting damnation, that we 
strive and labor. O how much are we concerned to 
be vigorous in, and attentive to it ! ready to do every 
good work, and most industrious at the business of 
such infinite consequence, abounding in the work of 
the Lord ! when upon this moment depends the end- 
less eternity to come, and all that concerns us for- 



244 For Zeal and Activity >, fcfc. 

ever, hangs upon the poor short life present, that is 
so quickly gone, and will never return. O my God I 
imprint these considerations so deep upon my heart, 
that I may no more trifle with the weighty things of 
eternity, nor show a cold indifference about that 
which is of such absolute necessity ; but may act as 
one that must be a blessed or a damned creature for 
ever : and be as zealous for my God, as ever I have 
been eager for the world ; and as active in the pur- 
suit of things eternal, as I have been to pursue the 
temporal ; that I may indeed give up myself to thy 
service, and make it the main care and business of 
my life ; so shewing the sincerity of what I do pro- 
fess, by that zeal and fervency, which is the life and 
soul of Christianity. O thou great Re warder of them 
that diligently seek thee ! help me seriously to en- 
gage in thy service, and unweariedly to go through 
with it ; not slothful in business, but fervent 
in spirit, serving the Lord ; exercising myself to 
godliness, continuing watchful in prayer, keeping my 
heart with all diligence, ordering my conversation 
with all usefulness, and running the race set before 
me with all cheerfulness, full of life and spirit in thy 
work, and full of good deeds and fruits to thy honor, 
ever laboring to be accepted here to thy favor, and 
hereafter to thy glory. 

Yea, make me more zealous for thy honor, O 
Lord, than for my own ; and whatever is injurious 
and reproachful to thee, O let me hate it perfectly, 
and oppose it strenuously, and yet wit.h such pru- 
dence and kindness towards men, that I may not be- 
tray my own shame, in defending thy glory, nor let 
my zeal consume, but inflame my charity ; and put 
me upon doing all the good that ever I am able in 
my generation ; to serve the interest of my Lord, 
and to help forward the salvation of souls. O make 



Against Worldliness* 245 

me valiant for thy truth, and discreet in my conduct, 
that I may neither betray the holy cause by my fear, 
nor reproach it by my folly. O let me not spend 
my zeal and spirits for earthly, but for heavenly 
things ; not for my own lust and honor, but for thy 
blessed will and pleasure ; not in frivolous conten- 
tions, about the little appendages and circumstantials 
of religion, but in pressing after the vital and sub- 
stantial part ; and in my concernment and endeavor 
about the great unquestionable duties and qualifica- 
tions necessary to the saving of the soul. And grant 
me thy grace, O Lord, to live now so zealously to 
the glory of thy name, that I may come to live 
blessedly for ever, in the glories of thy kingdom ; 
not for the sake of my services, but of thy mercies, 
whose gift is eternal life, through Jesus Christ our 
Lord. Amen. 

A- Prayer against Worldliness, and for a Heaven- 
ly Mind, 

THOLT, G blessed God, art the only satisfying 
portion and happiness of our souls, in whom 
alone the desires of our hearts may find that rest and 
repose, which all the world else cannot give ; bur ? 
alas, this world, and the things of it, have had too 
much of my thoughts, and too much of my heart, 
till I have grown remiss in my affections, and cold 
in my love towards thee, my God, and those things 
above, which are most worthy of my love. I have 
been eager in the pursuit of vanities and trifling con- 
cerns of this present time ; but O how slack and 
flighty in that which does most nearly and eternally 
concern me ! Intent upon this world, as if it would 
never end ; and forgetful of the next, as if it should 
never begin, I have forsaken the Fountain of living 
V 2 



246 For a Heavenly Mind. 

waters, to hew to myself the broken cistern that can 
hold no water; disquieting myself in vain, seeking rest 
and finding none ; because I have sought where the 
precious treasure is not to be found. And so thou 
mightest, Lord, leave me to inherit my own wretch- 
ed choice; to eat of the fruit of my own way, and 
to be filled with my own devices ; giving me all my 
portion in this life, which I have so brutishly prefer- 
red before an infinitely better ; and shutting me out 
of that heavenly kingdom, which I have despised for 
the sake of this present world. 

But, O thou Father of mercies ! forgive me all the 
defects of my love to thee, and all the excesses of my 
love to earthly things ; and so moderate my desires 
after these inferior goods, that instead of doating up- 
on the world, I may covet earnestly the best gifts, and 
seek first thy kingdom and its righteousness; esteem- 
ing godliness the greatest gain, and all things else but 
loss and dung, for the love of Christ, and the glories 
of heaven. O shew me so much of those great and 
glorious things of the world to come, as may dull 
and deaden my affections to the things of this present 
world, and crucify the world to me, and me to the 
world ; that it may lose the great force which it has 
had upon me ; that I may be more disengaged and 
loosened from it, and more enamored with, and 
intent upon the things above, were Christ sitteth at 
the right hand of God, which will fully satisfy and 
never fail me. O let me not debase my heavenly 
soul, to lie grovelling and rooting in the earth, and 
licking the dust, as if I were all flesh, and had noth- 
ing to do, but to trudge for the vile body. O may 
I less mind earthly things, and despise the most 
tempting enjoyments of this world, for the love of 
my Lord, and the hope of his glory. May my heart 
be with my treasure in the heaven, looking for the 



For Perseverance, 247 

blessed hope, and the glorious appearance of the 
great God, and our Saviour Jesus Christ ; not cov= 
eting great things of the world, nor to continue long 
in it ; but rather in care to get safe out of it, and 
desirous to be dissolved, and to be ever with the 
Lord. Even so, come Lord Jesus. Amen^ Amen, 

A Prayer for Perseverance and Grace to endure to 
the end, 

ETERNAL God, with whom is everlasting 
strength ! thou art able to keep us from fall- 
ing, and to perform the good work begun in us, till 
the day of Jesus Christ. But Lord thou knowest 
how weak and mutable I am ; how wavering and 
bent to backsliding ; how apt to decline and fall off, 
after I have been set up, and put in a good hopeful 
way heavenward ; and in what danger still to undo 
myself, after all the great things which thou hast done 
for me. O Lord of love, have pity on my infirmi- 
ties, and strengthen me in my weakness. Preserve 
me, thou blessed Guardian of thy people, who keep- 
est the feet of thy saints ; O preserve me from the 
danger of apostacy, and falling away from any good 
beginnings, to which thy grace has ever wrought 
me ; and put thy fear in my heart, that I may not de- 
part from thee. Make me so firmly thine, that 'noth- 
ing which befals me in the world may ever part 
betwixt thee and my soul ; and make me so resolute 
for thy service, that nothing which any can say or 
do, may interrupt me in, or take me off that way 
of life which is above to the wise, to depart from hell 
beneath. O let me not be of the number of 
those that draw back to perdition ; but of that 
happy number who do believe, to the saving of the 
soul. 



248 In Prosperity. 

O Lord God ! thou hast begun to show thy ser- 
vant thy greatness ; and thy mighty hand ; go on, I 
pray thee, to work for the glory of thy name, and 
perfect that which concerns me. Thou hast been 
my help, leave me not, nor forsake me, O God of 
my salvation ; but hold thou me up r and I shall be 
safe, and I will have respect to thy statutes continual- 
ly. Stablish, O Lord, strengthen and settle me, 
and leave me no will nor power to resist the gracious 
designs and methods of thy love and mercy, for the 
healing and saving of my soul. And as I, by my 
frailty, still do renew my sins, gracious Lord, through 
thy mercy, renew me to repentance ; and though I 
fall, let me not be utterly cast down ; but uphold 
me with thy Almighty hand ; preserve me to thy 
heavenly kingdom ; and keep me by the power of 
God, through faith to salvation. O make me so 
faithful until death, that thou mayest give to me the 
crown of life ; so to endure to the end, that I may be 
saved ; that in the end of my life I may receive the 
glorious consummation of all my hopes, that bless- 
ed end of my faith, the eternal salvation of my soul. 
Amen, Amen. 

A Prayer in Prosperity. 

BLESSED God, rich in goodness and mercy ! 
thou art the portion of my inheritance and of 
my cup ; thou maintainest my lot. The lines are 
fallen to me in pleasant places, and I have a goodly 
heritage. I abound and am full of thy good things 
and surrounded on every side with thy mercies. And 
so thou makest my affairs succeed to my mind, that 
I cannot but be pleased and satisfied with my condi- 
tion, and desire with all the soul to acknowledge, 
and bless and praise thee, for all thy special favors, 



In Prosperity'. 249 

wherein thou hast made me to differ. Glory be to 
thee, O Lord, who hast dealt so well with thy un- 
worthy servant, and signalized me with such great 
and sundry blessings. But when thou hast made my 
mountain to stand strong, I must not say in my pros- 
perity, I shall never be moved ; whereas, I know 
not what shall be on the morrow, nor how soon the 
sun may be hid that now shines upon me. O Lord ! 
in the time of my health and peace and prosperity, 
help me to remember, and provide for the time of 
trouble and sickness and death ; when the world's 
enjoyments will shrink away from me, and prove 
utterly unable to support and relieve me. Yea, be- 
cause the prosperity of fools destroys them ; and the 
gaining the world is the loss of so many souls ; and 
that men of the world have all their portion in this 
life, grant, O heavenly Father, that this may not be 
my portion ; that I may not abuse the world's good 
to my dishonor, and my own undoing, nor turn the 
gifts of thy bounty into weapons of rebellion against 
thee, but use them in humility and sobriety, and thy 
holy fear ; doing the better service to thee, the great- 
er obligations thou layest upon me ; yea, making 
many others to fare the better for such thy bounty 
to thy servant. O make, me as willing, as thou hast 
made me able, to refresh the bowels of such as want 
what I do enjoy ; and as freely to give as I have re- 
ceived ; that riches may not be kept to my hurt^ 
but laid out to do myself and others real good. 
—As I have opportunity, let me do good to all, 
especially to them who are of the household of 
faith. 

O gracious Lord ! take the snare out of my 
worldly enjoyments, and preserve me from the dan- 
ger and destruction that so commonly attends a full 
and prosperous condition ; and rather turn me out 



250 For the Enlargement, fcfc. 

of all my earthly possessions, than that they should 
lie in my way, to stop me out of thy heavenly king- 
dom. O let me not want the affliction which thou 
knowest needful to my salvation ; and though thou 
makest me poor or givest me trouble, let me be 
contented and bless thy name ; even taking away 
from me as well as giving to me. But whatever I 
have here to enjoy, O let me never set my heart up- 
on it, nor trust in uncertain riches, but in the ever- 
living God, who alone can be to my immortal soul, a 
never failing portion. O preserve me from the pride 
and forgetfulness of God, and love of the world, and 
all the vices and corruptions incident to a high and 
plentiful estate : and let none of my abundance or 
success in the world, ever puff me up with a proud 
conceit of myself, or a scornful disdain of others, or 
wanton kicking against the Lord. O let it not pull 
me from thee ; but with the cords of love do thou 
draw me nearer to thee ; and with all my other plen- 
ty, my God, let me have the fulness of thy grace, 
and be rich in good works, and with all my other 
successes, O that my soul may prosper, and be well 
in thy blessed favor, and make glad with saving mer- 
cy, and thy good acceptance of me in Jesus Christ. 
Amen. 

A Prayer for the Enlargement and Prosperity of 
the Church. 

OGOD of all grace, who hast called out of this 
present evil world a chosen generation, to 
know thy will, to seek thy face, to follow thy ways, 
and to inherit thy glory ; bless all thy people every 
where, and cause tny face to shine upon them ; 
and so add to their number, that all the ends of the 
earth may remember themselves, and turn to the 
Lord, and see the salvation of our God. Call home 



of the Church. 251 

to thee again thy once only people the Jews ; and 
take the veil off their hearts, that they may see and 
own their Messias ; and let that blood of Christ, 
which they imprecated upon their heads, to their 
confusion, light on their hearts, to their conversion* 
Bring in the fulness of the Gentiles ; and give thy 
Son the heathen for his inheritance, and the ut- 
most parts of the earth for his possession. O give 
thy gospel a free and effectual passage throughout 
the world, that it may be further propagated where 
it has not yet reached, and the joyful sound may be 
heard, even where Christ is not yet named; and give 
such good success to it, where it shines already, that 
all who have received it, may sincerely obey it ; 
and every one who names the name of Christ, may 
depart from iniquity ; and let their light shine before 
men, to the glory of our heavenly Father, and to the 
adorning of thy doctrine and advancing the religion 
of God our Saviour. 

Convince and convert both the professed enemies 
of Christ, and also the enemies of his own house. 
Beat down all antichristian powers, both in the false 
church, where Christianity is so foully corrupted; and 
also beyond the borders of Christendom, where it is 
openly opposed. O shew unto them all the light of 
thy truth ; that they may know it, as it is in Jesus, 
and expel their prejudices, together with their dark- 
ness : and so bring them to receive thy truth in 
the love of it, that they may be saved. O that the 
true religion of our Lord Jesus may prevail power- 
fully, and gain more proselytes daily throughout the 
world ; that Jerusalem may be the joy and praise of 
the whole earth ; and that we may see the good of it 
all the days of our life ! and O that all the errors, 
both in judgment and practice, the heresies of doc- 
trine, and the ungodliness of life, may be more and 



252 For the Reformed Churches. 

more exposed and confounded, and suppressed, till 
they be utterly abolished ! that the wickedness of 
the wicked, being under rebuke and disgrace, may 
come to an end ; and that truth and peace, and holi- 
ness, may get still more credit and authority ; and 
reign and flourish to the ends of the earth ; through 
the abundant grace of our Lord Jesus Christ. ' 
Ameru 

A Prayer for the Reformed Churches abroad. 

BLESS, O Lord, in especial manner, all the 
churches that profess thy holy and eternal 
truth. Protect them from the enemies that have 
evil will at Sion ; preserve them in the faith, and re- 
store to them peace where it is not, and continue it to 
them where it is. Thou hast showed thy people hard 
things ! thou hast made them to drink the wine of 
astonishment : O how long shall thy anger smoke 
against the sheep of thy pasture I make them glad 
according to the time wherein thou hast afflicted 
them, and wherein they have seen adversity. Lord, 
how long shall the wicked triumph ! How long shall 
they utter and speak, and take crafty counsel against 
thy people, and consult against thy hidden ones ! 
Arise, O God, plead thy own cause ; remember how 
the foolish man blasphemeth thee daily. Help, Lord, 
for the godly man ceaseth ; for the faithful fail from 
among the children of men. O that thou wouldst 
arise and have mercy upon Sion ; and that the time 
to favor her, the set time, were come ! Thou art our 
King, O God ; command deliverances for Jacob. 
Arise for thy servant's help, and redeem them for 
thy mercy's sake. Let not the rod of the wicked 
rest upon the lot of the righteous ; but give a check 
and stop to the persecuting spirit that breaks in pie- 



For the Reformed Churches. 253 

ees thy people, O Lord, and afflicts thy heritage. 
When such wicked enemies come to eat them up, 
see them stumble and fall ; and let thy people never 
be ashamed. Yea, not only restrain the remainder of 
that wrath ; but so turn it as thou didst in the per- 
secuting Saul, that the enemies and opposers of thy 
ways and servants may become lovers and followers 
of the same. 

O hear the sighs and support the spirits, repair 
the breaches, and hasten the deliverance of thy ser- 
vants, who suffer for the testimony of thy truth, and 
are persecuted for righteousness' sake : yea, for thy 
sake, are killed all the day long, and counted as 
sheep for the slaughter. O make thy face to shine 
upon thy servants ; and redeem Israel out of all his 
troubles. Be thou, Lord, a refuge for the oppress- 
ed ; a refuge in times of trouble ; and come in to 
their succor ; and make them a way to escape out of 
the hands of such unreasonable men, whose mercies 
are cruel. O break thou the arm of the wicked and 
evil man, and judge the oppressed, that the men of 
the earth may no more oppress. Shew thy marvel- 
lous loving kindness, that thou savest by thy right 
hand them that trust in thee, from those that rise up 
against them. When their power is gone, make 
known thy own ; and when there is none to help, re- 
veal thy own arm to bring salvation. Such as are 
banished, and driven to seek their bread in strange 
countries, leaving all else behind them, that they 
might take their religion along with them, Lord, grant 
them to find favor with those among whom they 
are scattered ; and of thy fatherly care, provide for 
them ; and, in thy good time restore them to their 
possessions, and to sure habitations, and quiet rest- 
ing places. Or if thou wilt not abate them the trou- 
W 



254 For our Church. 

bles on earth : yet Lord, let theirs be the kingdom 
of heaven. For the outward comforts which they 
have lost, O give them heavenly joys within, and 
everlasting consolations. And by their persecution 
and dispersion, prepare them for, and conduct and 
hasten them to the blessed rest, which remains for 
thy people, and the more glorious rewards in those 
heavenly mansions above, where such as die in the 
Lord rest from their labors, and their works follow 
them. That there, out of the reach of all disturb- 
ance and danger, they may sing thy praise for ever- 
more. Amen, 

A Prayer for our Church, 

BLESSED be thy name^ O Lord our God, 
who hast called us to be thy people ; and caus- 
ed the day-spring from on high to visit us, and the 
light of thy gospel to shine upon us. Thou hast 
sent to us the word of salvation; and made thy holy 
religion to be our birth-right, and the professed reli- 
gion of our nation. Thou hast not been deficient 
in kindness to us, gracious Lord ; but O how short 
have we come of our duty which we owe to thee, 
our God ! Great things still, time after time, 
thou hast done in our behalf: but O how little have 
we done in thy service ; and how much against thy 
holy, good and righteous laws ! We have long ex- 
perienced thy care and kindness, as the vineyard of 
the Lord, Which thy right hand has planted ! Thou 
hast hedged us about with thy providence, digged 
and pruned us with thy judgments, watered and 
refreshed us with thy mercies ; and justly mightest 
thou, after all, expect the good fruits from us. But 
alas ! our greatest fruitfulness has been in the bri- 
ers and thorns of contention, and the unfruitful 



For our Church, 255 

works of darkness, to dishonor the blessed name by 
which we are called, and to affront the heavenly 
goodness, whereby we have been obliged. So un- 
worthy have we walked of our holy vocation, and 
so little is it to be seen among us how much thou 
hast done for us, that we must confess, O Lord, thou 
mightest justly take away the gospel of the king- 
dom from us, and give to another people, that should 
bring forth fruits more worthy of it, and more an- 
swerable to it, than we have done. 

But, O gracious, long-suffering God, who in judg- 
ment hast ever remembered mercy towards us ! 
enter not so into judgment with us, for our un- 
mindfulness of thee, and our boldness with thee ; 
our barrenness under all the means of grace, our in- 
gratitude for the most precious benefits, and our 
abuses of the innumerable blessings, and favors per- 
taining to this- life andr a better, which we so long 
have enjoyed ; nor remember our sins against us ; 
but remember thy own tender mercies, and loving 
kindnesses, which have been ever of old. O say 
not of this land, thou hast no pleasure ink; but 
return, we beseech thee, O God of hosts ; look 
down from heaven, behold and visit this vineyard, 
and the branch which thou makest strong for thy- 
self. Be thou as a wall of fire about our church, to 
check the malice, and break the forces of all that 
would invade the peace, corrupt the purity, and de- 
stroy the prosperity of it. And be thou as a re- 
finer's fire, and like fuller's soap in the midst of 
us, to purge away our dross, and to purify us yet 
more from all remaining errors and corruptions . 
that righteousness may be the foundation of the 
walls of our church, and peace the ornament of her 
palaces. 

O may that right hand of thine which does valiant- 



256 The Magistrate's Prayer. 

ly, work wonders for our safety. Especially, be 
thou pleased, Lord, to work such a holy reforma- 
tion upon us, that we may be a truly reformed peo- 
ple, as well as so called ; a peculiar people, 
zealous of good works ; a people eminent for 
that righteousness which exalts a nation ; that thou, 
the righteous Lord, who lovest righteousness, may- 
est bless us, and with favor compass us as with a 
shield ; and cause thy anger towards us to cease ,* 
and rejoice over us to do us good. After all the 
methods for our good, that we have resisted, O what 
shall Ave ask, but that thou wouldst be pleased, O 
Lord our God, to do for us, what thou knowest ef- 
fectual to reclaim and save us? and after all the 
grace of God that we have received in vain, O give 
us the grace which we may not withstand or abuse, 
but comply with it, to make us such as thou wouldst 
have us ; and to secure to us all thy saving mercies 
in Jesus Christ, our blessed Lord, and only Saviour. 
Amen. 

The Magistrate's Prayer. 

OTHOU great and supreme Ruler of all the 
world I by whom all the governors on earth 
are set up, to restrain the unruly, and to favor thy 
people ; though thou needest not the services of 
men or angels to assist thee ; but canst immediate- 
ly, by thyself, do whatever thou pleasest in heaven 
and in earth, with the least word of thy mouth, with 
the least motion of thy will, yet thou art pleased to 
honor some of thy creatures as thy vicegerents, and 
to order and govern the sons of men, by those of 
their own kind, exalting some chosen out of the peo- 
ple, to preside and rule over the rest. Me thou 
kast called, Lord, to this honor, and hast been 



The Magistrate's Prayer. 257 

pleased to set me above the common lot of men, 
as one of the little representatives of thy blessed 
self. O King of glory ! I wilt exalt thee, who 
has vouchsafed to raise me, and as thou hast 
made me to differ from others in this dignity, so 
make me to excel in every praise- worthy proper- 
ty. O that I may represent not only thy power and 
majesty, but thy wisdom and holiness, thy truth and 
goodness, thy justice and mercy. O that I may re- 
tain a lowly mind in my high station, and not forget 
or lift up myself, nor insult over my poor inferiors : 
but, like the great God, who despises not any, may 
I condescend to men of low estate ; and without 
respect of persons, judge according to every man's 
work;- yea, delight to rescue and succor the in- 
jured and oppressed ; to deliver the needy when he 
cries, the poor also, and him that has no helper. 

O ! may I rather fear my accounts, than be 
proud of my office ; and in the fear of the Lord, 
let me * ever be careful to execute that which is 
righteous in the sight of God ; and with all faith- 
fulness to discharge my trust, as one that must be 
judged myself and find the same measure with 
which I mete. And seeing the eyes of all are upon 
me, and my place exposes me the more to common 
notice, and my example has a greater influence than 
that of a private ordinary man ; O make me Lord, 
the more vigilant and cautious in the inspection of 
myself and the ordering of my conversation aright ; 
that I may not embolden others to commit such 
wickedness as I ought to punish, nor lead people in- 
to the sin and ruin which! should help to save 
them from ; nor be a scandal and grief of heart to 
the holy followers of Jesus, whom I am set up to 
patronize, and comfort ; but let my conversation be 
such, as shall put to confusion dissolute and exor* 
W 2 



253 A Prayer for Bishops and Pastors. 

bitant sinners, as well as my justice strike terror in- 
to the evil-doers. O make me a hearty lover of all 
good men, and one that honors them who fear the 
Lord. Make me ever ready and forward to defend, 
and countenance, and encourage the generation of 
thy children, such as live godly in Christ Jesus. 
And let me with courage exert my authority in a 
zealous vindication of thy glory ; and in asserting 
the rights, and promoting the growth and advance- 
ment of thy true and holy religion. O that the hon- 
or of thy name, and the interest of thy kingdom, and 
the welfare of thy church and chosen, may be ever 
next my heart, that above all things I may seek the 
things of Jesus Christ ; and truly and indifferently 
minister justice, to the punishment of wickedness 
and vice, and to the maintenance of thy true reli- 
gion and virtue. And all the power and interest 
that I have in the world, O may I so lay it out, for 
the service of thy holy truths and set forwarckthe 
blessed design of the gospel of thy dear Son, that 
after my advancement here, I may not be thrown 
down hereafter ; nor receive the dreadful doom, 
for betraying my trust, and abusing my authority ; 
but may appear with comfort and joy before my 
Judge, whose holy cause I espoused and advanced ; 
and whose faithful servants I sheltered and cherish- 
ed, and shewed the greatest kindness to them ; and 
with them may be raised at the last to that highest 
of all bliss and glory, which shall endure forever- 
more. Amen*. 

A Prayer for alt our Bishops, Pastors, and Min- 
isters. 

OLORD, most high, the glorious head of all 
the church ! who hast appointed various offi- 
ces- in it, for the perfecting of the saints, for the 



A Prayer fir Bishops and Pastors* 259 

work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body 
of Christ ; bless in especial manner all those whom 
thou hast sent to bless the people in thy name ; and 
make alL our spiritual fathers careful and tender 
nursing fathers of the church. Grant them knowl- 
edge and grace, both to manage themselves, and or- 
der their conversation aright; and also to: watch 
for souls, and feed the flock of God, and take the 
oversight thereof, not by constraint, but willingly ; 
not for filthy lucre, but of a ready mind; caring for 
all committed to their charge, and giving to every 
one his portion in due season : that they may rightly 
divide thy word, and speak it as they ought to speak, 
and do thy work as thy workmen, that need not be 
ashamed. O make them skilful: and faithful in 
their sacred callings , and successful and happy in 
their good endeavors to promote the knowledge and 
love of thy truth, and all the duties of a holy life. 
And let both their example and their doctrine be 
such, as shall help to save themselves and those that 
hear them. O that they may speak as the oracles 
of God, in demonstration. of the spirit and of pow- 
er ; and that they may show themselves patterns of 
all the good things which they preach too thers ; 
not prostituting their holy calling to serve the inter- 
ests and lusts of men; but conscientiously discharg- 
ing it, to the glory of their Lord ! not walking in 
craftiness, nor handling the word of God deceitful- 
ly; but by manifestation of the truth, commending 
themselves to every man's conscience, in the sight 
of God ; and being so good ensamples to the flock, 
that having preached to others, themselves may 
not be castaways, but experience the joy of that 
salvation which they preach ; and when the chief 
Shepherd shall appear, receive the crown of glory, 
that fadeth not away. 



260 The Author for himself as a Minister. 

Though the world hates, and the devil opposes 
them, and even many that should encourage their 
labors, do but strive to weaken their hands, and af- 
flict their hearts, O great and good Lord ! do thou 
shew thy own strength, to accomplish thy own work. 
Open a wide door to the gospel, and defeat all oppo- 
sition ; stop the mouths of false prophets, and 
drive away ravenous wolves from the flock, and give 
them faithful pastors. And Lord, crown the endeav- 
ors of thy messengers with thy heavenly blessing ; 
that they may be mighty through God, to pull down 
the strong holds of sin ; and to edify and build up 
thy church in the true fear and love of God, and in 
the right knowledge and faith of our Lord Jesus 
Christ. And because wise men die, and cannot be- 
queath their learning and talents unto others : to sup- 
ply breaches made upon us by their mortality, bless 
our universities, and all the schools and nurseries of 
good learning and true religion in the land, that they 
may send forth men able and apt to serve thee in 
church and state ; and to oblige the world, by 
doing good in their generations, and shewing 
people the way to be happy both here and ever. 
Amen. 

The Author's Prayer for himself as a Minister: 

O BLESSED Jesus, my Lord and my God ! 
what high honor hast thou done me in call- 
ing me to the office which thuu wast pleased to take 
upon thyself ! who earnest not to be ministered to, 
but to minister, and to preach the gospel of the 
kingdom, and teach the way of salvation. All glory 
be to thee, who has been pleased so to dignify me ; 
but as thou thyself, the head of the corner, art to 
some a stone of stumbling, and a rock of offence ; 



The Author for himself as a Minister. 261 

so thy messengers are to them that perish, the savor 
of death unto death, as well as to them that are sav- 
ed, the savor of life unto life. And if thy wise and 
holy servant asked, Who is sufficient for these 
things ? Well may I, a weak and sinful wretch, 
tremble under the work of the ministry, lest the 
blood of those that perish, through my neglect and 
default, should be required at my hands, and lest 
when I have shewed others the way to heaven, I 
myself should be shut out : but I look unto thee, O 
Lord, my life, my strength and my Redeemer, who 
hast appointed me in this station, to accomplish me 
also for it. O thou that ordainest strength out of 
the mouths of babes and sucklings, magnify thy 
power in my weakness ; and show thyself so gra- 
ciously and mightily on my behalf, that I may do 
all things as I ought, through Christ strengthening 
me. O let me learn from thee what I shall teach 
concerning thee. Open my understanding, O 
Lord, that I may well understand the scriptures, 
and rightly divide the word of truth ; and be able, 
by sound doctrine, both to exhort and convince the 
gainsayers. O put such thoughts into my mind, and 
such words into my mouth, that out of the abund- 
ance of my heart, my mouth may speak to the glory of 
thy name, and to the edification of those unto whom 
I make my application, O make me wise to win 
souls, and watchful over them, as one that must 
give an account of them ; not entangling myself in 
the affairs of this life, but waiting on my ministry; 
taking heed to myself, and to my doctrine ; study- 
ing to show my self approved of God, and thorough- 
ly furnished to every good work. Give me skill 
and conduct, prudently to steer my course through 
all difficulties in my way ; and give me patience 
and courage to withstand all assaults and opposition 



262 The Author for himself as a Minister. 

which I have to encounter. O my Lord, be with 
me, and guide me, and help me, and strengthen and 
and succor me, now and always, in the great work 
lying upon me. Open to me a door of utterance, 
that I may speak thy word as I ought to speak ; 
and make me faithful and diligent, and successful in 
my sacred calling ; doing thy work as thy workman, 
that need not be ashamed ; not preaching myself, 
but Christ Jesus the Lord ; nor seeking the praise of 
men, but the honor of my God ; yea, make me an 
example of all the holy properties, and praise worthy 
practices which I preach to others ; that I may not 
lay upon them the burdens which I refuse to bear 
myself ; but go before them in the ways which they 
are to fo^ow ; holding forth the word of life in my 
conversation, as well as in my doctrine ; that I may 
shine with a convincing light to them, and not lay 
a stumbling block before them ; neither making 
the heart of the righteous sad, nor strengthening the 
hands of the wicked ; nor giving just offence to any, 
but approving myself as far as I am able, useful and 
beneficial unto all ; keeping under my body, and 
bringing it into subjection, lest that by any means, 
when I have preached to others, I myself should be 
a castaway. 

And, O thou that gives! the increase, command 
a blessing, I pray thee, upon all my studies and eri^ 
deavors, that I may not spend my strength for 
nought, nor labor in vain ; but that I may make full 
proof of my ministry, and be instrumental, through 
thy grace, to convert the unconverted, and to build 
up them that are in any measure sanctified ; and so to 
save myself, and those that hear me, that when I 
have finished my course, I may give an account 
of my stewardship with joy, and not with grief; 
and receive the crown of righteousness at thy hands, 



For a Blessing upon Societies, Z?c. 263 

not for my merits, but for thy mercies' sake. Amen* 
Amen. 

A Prayer for a Blessing upon the Societies confed- 
erate to promote Reformation of Manners. 

O RIGHTEOUS Lord ! thou lovest righteous, 
ness, and thy countenance does behold the 
upright. Thou favorest them that espouse the 
righteous cause, and wilt for ever glorify such as 
turn many to righteousness. Thou hast not only 
commanded us to be holy, and to walk circumspect- 
ly ourselves, but also to shew our concern for the 
souls of others ; to contend for the faith, and contend 
with the wicked, and not suffer sin upon our broth- 
er ; but applying our endeavors to convert the sin- 
ner from the error of his ways ; and to recover 
those out of the snare of the devil, who have been 
taken captive by him at his will. 

Help, Lord, for the godly man ceaseth, and the 
faithfuffail from among the children of men ; even 
all seek their own ; and O how few the things that 
are Jesus Christ's ! Arise, O God, and plead thy 
own cause ; and be with them that rise up against 
the evil doers, and that strive to do good to this 
present evil world, by a merciful severity, to restrain 
the unruly from undoing themselves ; and by ex- 
ecuting judgment, to stay the plague and wrath 
gone out from the Lord against us all. Plead 
their cause, O Lord, with them that strive with 
them, and stand up for their help ; and stop the 
way against them that persecute them ; and make 
them successful to promote the honor of thy great 
name, and the interest of thy holy religion. 

O that none of the correctors of others may de- 
serve like censure themselves ! but that they may all 



264 For a Blessing upon Societies, £ste. 

be blameless and harmless ; the sons of God with- 
out rebuke, in the midst of a crooked and perverse 
nation, among whom they may shine as lights in 
the world. O give them a tender love to the souls of 
men ; a zeal according to knowledge, and prudent 
conduct to walk in wisdom's ways towards them that 
are without. And give them good courage to en- 
dure the contradiction of sinners, and count it a 
small thing to be judged of man's judgment, and 
help them in their patience to possess their souls, 
and in meekness to instruct those that oppose them- 
selves ; and make the weapons of their warfare 
mighty through God, to the pulling down of strong 
holds. And so speed them with thy heavenly bless- 
ing, that how small soever was their beginning, their 
latter end may greatly increase. O let them go forth 
in thy strength, iind prevail and prosper, as the bless- 
ed of the Lord. 

Though we are cast into the dregs of time, when 
godliness -declines, and iniquity abounds ; and al- 
most all abominations grow daring and impudent : 
3'et, thou, Lord, that dost marvellous things, can 
bring light out of darkness ; and when thou pleas- 
est, canst change the face of evil times. Yea, glorious 
things are spoken of the last day ; and thy word 
foretels such a holy and happy state of things, 
even upon earth, as this sinful and wretched 
world does not yet seem to have been blest with. 

O when shall it be Lord ; when shall judgment 
return to righteousness, and all the upright in heart 
follow it? O when shall the wickedness of the wick- 
ed come to an end ? and profaneness and lewdness, 
debauchery and immorality, intemperance and ex- 
travagance, be put to confusion ; and all iniquity 
stop her mouth, and the rightous nourish, and Jeru- 
salem be the joy and praise of the whole earth ! 



A Prayer for our Benefactors. 265 

The Lord hasten it in his time ; and in the mean 
while give a check from heaven to the floods of un- 
godliness, that have lifted up their voice and their 
waves ; and say to those proud waters, Hither shall 
ye go, and no further ! 

O cherish and prosper all good beginnings, and all 
hopeful proceedings for the furtherance of piety, and 
for the advancement of thy glory. Make magistrates 
and ministers, and all orders of men vigilant and 
diligent in keeping their own hearts, and ordering 
their own conversations aright ; and also to set for- 
ward, what in them lies the reformation and edifica- 
tion of their neighbors ; that all may account it not 
only their duty, but their honor and pleasure, to have 
their hands in this blessed glorious work, and may 
do it heartily, as to the Lord ; to the bettering of the 
world, and to the rejoicing of all that, in sincerity, 
do love our Lord Jesus Christ. Amen, 

A Prayer for our Benefactors. 

I DESIRE with all thankfulness to acknowledge 
thy loving kindness, O Lord my God, that thou 
hast given me so many comforts, and raised me up 
so many friends, and helps in the world. It is thou, 
Lord, who hast the hearts of all in thy hands, that 
turnest the hearts of any to shew me favor, and to 
do me good. They are but the instruments and 
means of conveyance ; but thou art the blessed Au- 
thor and original Fountain of all the kindness : to 
thee, therefore, where alone it is due, I give the 
glory and offer the sacrifice of praise. But for them, 
whom thou hast enabled, and also inclined to bene- 
fit and pleasure me, I am obliged to offer up the 
sacrifice of my prayers. O be thou kind to them, 
Lord, as they have been kind to me ; refresh thek 
X 



266 A Prayer for our pious Friends. 

bowels, as they have refreshed mine; and requite 
their love, and all their endearing offices of friend- 
ship sevenfold into their bosoms. Make me studi- 
ous ever to approve myself grateful; and ready to 
make all fitting returns in my power. And be thou 
pleased, O blessed God, infinitely good, to reward 
them where I cannot : yea, turn ail the advantages I 
have had from them to their own greatest advantage. 
And for their goodness and their kind favors give 
them not only temporal mercies, but heavenly bless- 
ings, and everlasting consolations. O give them 
Christ, and all the good things of thy Spirit that ac- 
company salvation ; yea, give them thy own self, 
Lord, who art all in all, to be their blessed glorious 
portion for evermore. Amen, 

A Prayer for our pious Friends* 

GLORY be to thee, O Lord, for thy grace, 
discovered upon any of my friends. O how 
great is thy goodness, which thou hast laid up for 
them that fear thee, which thou hast wrought for them 
that trust in thee, before the sons of men. Save thy 
people, and bless thy inheritance : Feed them also, 
and lift them up for ever. Let none that wait on 
thee, O Lord, be ashamed ; but let all that seek thee, 
rejoice and be glad in thee, and ever have cause to 
say, the Lord be magnified who has pleasure in the 
prosperity of his servants. O do good to them that 
are upright in their heart. And continue thy lov- 
ing kindness, Lord, to all such as have chose the bet- 
ter part; and still desire to know, and fear and love 
thee more, and to serve and please thee better. O 
answer them in the wishes of their hearts, whose 
hearts thou knowest to be set upon the increase of 
thy grace and perfecting holiness in thy fear. Lead 



A Prayer for a Friend. 267 

them on from strength to strength, from one degree of 
saving knowledge and grace to another ; till, from 
shining here as lights in the world, they come to shine 
as the stars, and as the brightness of the firmament, in 
the kingdom of their Father, for ever and ever. And 
while they are in the world, O do thou keep them, 
good Lord, from the evil of it ; and bless and pros- 
per all their designs and endeavors, to do still more 
and more good in it ; that all about them may be 
the better for them, and that themselves, when come 
to the end of their pilgrimage here, may depart in 
peace, and hope, and joy ; and find their grace ex- 
changed for the crown of glory that fadeth not away ; 
among all the redeemed and blessed of the Lord, 
where they will admire and enjoy thy love, and ex- 
tol and magnify thy name for evermore. Amen. 

A Prayer for our Friend whose Soul we fear to he 
in a dangerous Condition, 

OLORD, it was a mighty concernment upon 
the spirit of thy holy apostle, that made him 
declare, he had great heaviness and continual sorrow 
in his hearty and could wish himself accursed from 
Christ, for his brethren, his kinsman, according to 
the flesh : and somewhat like to this, thou knowest 
I feel in myself, with reference to some of my rela- 
tions, especially my poor friend — , who 

seems to be even in the gall of bitterness and the 
bond of iniquity : setting himself in a way that is far 
from good, and lying under the danger to be for ev- 
er lost. O what shall I do for him ? and how shall 
I apply myself to be helpful to him ? I would be 
taught of God ; and I desire to learn wisdom of thee, 
my Lord, and to be enabled by thy grace, to use the 
methods and expedients that shall be most probable 



268 A Prayer for a Friend. 

and successful to work upon him, and to do him 
good. O instruct me in the way that I shall take, 
and assist and bless me in the means and endeavors 
I shall use to attain this desirable end. 

Yea, thou great Almighty God, who workest all 
in all, and canst do whatever thou pleasest, to enlight- 
en the darkest mind, to fashion the hardest hearts, 
conquer the stubbornest will and to turn even the 
most hopeless sinners to thyself; O be thou pleas- 
ed to shew the irresis table efficacy of thy heavenly 
grace in the case that is so sad, and worthy of thy- 
self to relieve. Be pleased, O Lord, to break in 
powerfully upon him, and discover to him what is 
amiss with Kim : and make him to know the danger 
of his sins, and in what condition his soul is. And 
open, Lord, his eyes, and soften his heart, and turn 
his course, and break the force of his temptations \ 
and so make him a way to escape out of the enemy's 
hands ; that even the dead may hear the voice of the 
Son of God and live. That the presumptuous may 
be startled, and the secure awakened, and he that is 
so far gone yet recovered : Yea, that the lost sheep 
may be brought home, and the sinner so repent and 
be converted, that his sins may be blotted out, and 
his soul be thoroughly healed, and mercifully accept- 
ed, and eternally saved. 

O gracious God, thou hast no pleasure in the 
death of the wicked, but art reconcileable in the Son 
of thy love, to the very worst of thy enemies, and not 
willing that any should perish. O what profit is 
there in his blood ! how shall the dead and damned 
praise thee ? Lord of all power and mercy, get thee 
glory in his recovery. O -speak the word, and thy 
sinful creature shall live, and for ever bless thy name. 
Dear Father, forgive him all the evil thoughts and 
devices of his heart; and all the offensive wicked 



A Prayer for the Unconverted. 269 

carriage of his life. Forgive him. all his sins of omis- 
sion and commission ; and bring him out of all the 
ways of wickedness and ruin, into which he hath 
struck out ; O bring him at last, with purpose of 
heart, to resign and give up himself to the Lord : 
and make him diligent to retrieve himself, and full 
of care for his soul, and very conscientious and zeal- 
ous in all the practices of piety and honesty, and char- 
ity and sobriety ; whereby he may approve himself 
to be truly changed, and quite another manner of 
person than he has been, in all holy conversation and 
godliness. 

O grant him an inheritance among them that are 
sanctified, through faith in Christ Jesus ; and send 
down that renewing grace into his heart, which may 
be there as a well of water, springing up to everlast- 
ing life. Thus comfort and rejoice the soul of thy 
servant, O Lord, who does wait upon thee, and cry 
unto thee, for such thy saving mercy, to be shewn 
upon me and mine, particularly upon this near ally, 
whom I bewail and recommend to thy grace ; even 
for thy own mercy's sake, in the great Lover and 
Saviour of souls, who came to seek the lost, and to 
call sinners to repentance, even thy dearly beloved 
Son, our blessed Lord Jesus Christ. Amen. 

A Prayer for the Unconverted* 

OLORD God, gracious and merciful! thou 
art good to all ; and thy tender mercies are 
over all thy works. And thou hast assured us, that 
thou hast no pleasure in the death of the wicked ; 
but that he should turn from his way and live. Yea, 
thou that didst call Zacheus an old sinner, and Saul 
a fierce persecutor, hast the power over all hearts in 
thy hands, to fashion them as thou wilt ; and canst, 
X 2 



270 A Prayer for the Unconverted. 

even out of stones, raise up children to Abraham ; 
and make eminent saints out of the very vilest sin- 
ners. O Father of mercies, pity poor sinners that 
have not hearts to pity themselves : open their eyes 
to see the error of their ways, and the danger of their 
case : soften their hearts into a penitent concernment 
for their sins ; and awaken' them into a timely care of 
their souls. O let thy Spirit convince them how bad 
it is with them ; and set their sins in order before them ; 
that they may know their transgressions, and what is 
the wages of sin, and the dreadful portion of all un- 
godly men ; and know where their help lies, and what 
they must do to be saved : and the Lord make them 
faithful to their convictions ; that they may not hold 
the truth in unrighteousness ; but make haste to do 
what they are convinced is necessary to be done, 
for their poor sinking souls, before it be too late. 

O good God, give repentance to the acknow- 
ledgment of the truth, unto such as have opposed 
themselves, that they may be recovered out of the 
snare of the devil, who have been taken captive by 
him at his will; that thy power and mercy may be 
glorified in their conversion and salvation ; and not 
thy truth and justice in their ruin and destruction. 

That they are so far from the kingdom of God, that 
they contradict and blaspheme thy truth, and stum- 
ble at thy word, and set it at nought ; resisting the 
means of their salvation,, and hating and abusing 
the followers of Jesus ; turning again to rend thy ser- 
vants : O Lord, our heavenly Father, forgive them, 
for they know not what they do. And stop and turn 
them as thou didst the persecuting Soul, when he 
was mad against the saints, and verily thought with 
himself that he ought to do many things contrary 
to the name of Jesus. Put them in fear, O Lord r 
that they may know themselves to be but chaff and 



A Prayer for the Unconverted, 271 

stubble before thee, our God, who art to the wicked 
a consuming fire. And bring down their high looks, 
subdue their stiff necks, and break their hardened 
hearts, to make them to submit unto thee, that they 
may not be slain before thee. 

And such as think they are rich and increased 
with goods, and have need of nothing - r and know not 
that they are wretched, and miserable, and poor, and 
blind, and naked ; O Lord, discover them to them- 
selves, and shew them the true state of their soulsr 
that they may be sorrowfully concerned for their sins, 
and apprehend the peril they are in, and timely 
seek out for help, and flee from the wrath to come. 

Such as are ignorant and out of the w T ay, and, to 
do their souls good> have no knowledge, Lord, have 
compassion on them ; and call them out of darkness 5 
into thy marvellous light, that they may not perish 
for lack of knowledge. O let them be taught of 
God to know thee and themselves, and the things 
belonging to their peace,, before they be hid from 
their eyes. O thou that commandest the light to 
shine out of darkness, be pleased to shine into their 
hearts; shew them thy ways, and lead them in thy 
truth, that they may not be unwise, but understand 
what the will of the Lord is. 

Such as are in pernicious errors, and damnable 
heresies, departed from the faith once delivered to 
the saints ; having their minds corrupted from the 
simplicity that is in Christ ; perverting the truth, as 
it is in Jesus ; and not only swerving from the pure 
doctrine of the gospel themselves, but also lying in 
wait to seduce and deceive others. O Father of 
lights, takeaway the evil which is upon their hearts, 
that they may see wherein they have erred, and come 
to receive the truth in the love of it, and earnestly 
contend for the faith, which they once destroyed. 



272 A Prayer for the Unconverted. 

The prosperous worldings and secure sinners, 
settled upon their lees, that are at ease in their pos- 
sessions, and admire and doat upon the worldly good, 
as if it were the chief and only good ; applauding 
themselves in their portion that they have in this life, 
as if they had no need of God, nor to take care for 
any other heaven ; O dear Father, shew them how 
base is their choice, so to go astray from the Lord ; 
and how rotten the foundation, on which at present 
they stand. O make them to know that the friend- 
ship of the world is enmity with God ; and that all 
this world can never either satisfy the desire, or re- 
compence for the loss of a soul : yea, open their 
eyes, O Lord, to see how the fashion of this world 
passeth away ; and how soon all that wherein they 
trust and delight will be utterly gone, as if it had nev- 
er been ! and what multitudes by forsaking of God 
to cleave unto mammon, miscarry, and are lost for 
ever ; drowned in that destruction and perdition, from 
whence there is no redemption : that they may be 
checked and cooled in their pursuit and love of the 
world, and flee from its snares, for the life of their 
souls ; and so leave all for Christ, and the everlast- 
ing glory to come; that they may not be condemn- 
ed with the world, but saved in the great day of the 
Lord. 

And such as the loose and profane, and scandalous 
in their lives, making bold to rebel against Heaven, 
and committing alluncleanness with greediness ; scof- 
fing at the followers of Jesus, and deriding all that is 
serious and holy, and needful to the saving of the soul ; 
refusing to be ashamed, and hating tobe reformed ; 
how dangerous and desperate soever seems their 
case ; yet, Lord, it is not past thy help and cure, who 
callest those things that are not, as if they were ; who 
eatist change the leopard's spots, and the Ethiopian's 



A Prayer for all that desire our Prayers. 273 

skin ; yea, and bring not only something out of noth- 
ing, but the greatest good even out of the worst 
evil. O! where sin has abounded, may thy grace 
much more abound. Thou, Lord God Almighty, 
do the great work of thy grace, to heal such wounds 
and bruises, and putrifying sores; and to recover 
the ruinous sinners so far gone, under such deadly 
distempers, that the prodigals may come to them- 
selves, and arise, and go to their Father ; that such 
as were dead may be alive again, and such as were 
lost may be found ; that they may yet turn from 
their evil ways and come to see the beauties of holi- 
ness, and delight to do thy blessed will, O God, and 
obtain an inheritance among them that are sancti- 
fied, through faith in Jesus Christ. Amen. 

A Prayer for all that desire our Prayers. 

OLORD God of the spirits of all flesh ! thy 
word requires us to pray for others, as well as 
for ourselves ; and to call upon thee as our common 
Father in Jesus Christ. And though I am unwor- 
thy to speak to thy heavenly Majesty, O most High, 
either for myself, or others ; yet, in the sense of thy 
mercy, and the obligation of my duty and charity, I 
take upon me to become an humble petitioner to thee, 
my Lord, in behalf of all such as desire to be parta- 
kers of my prayers. O that they may share in thy 
rich mercies, according to their several wants and 
necessities. They are known to thee by name ; O 
let them be known of thee in the number of thy chil- 
dren. Thou knowest what they most need, and 
chiefly desire ; O thou gracious Giver of good, an- 
swer them in the desires of their hearts, as far as they 
desire the things that are meet and good ; and where 
they desire what is unfitting and hurtful, convince 



274 For the Blessing of our intended Marriage. 

them of their error, that they may not persist in k. 
And where they see not the things of their peace, or 
are cold to that which is most for their good, O Lord, 
shew them the saving way, and grant them a great 
love for it, and true zeal to follow it. Bless them, 
gracious Father, with so much of the world's good, 
as thou knowest to be good for them ; but especial- 
ly remember them with the favor which thou bear- 
est to thy people. Instruct them, Lord, in the know- 
ledge of thy will, and what they must do to be saved ; 
and make them faithful to practise according to the 
light which thou art pleased to give them ; yea, in- 
cline their hearts to take pleasure in the performance 
of their duty. Bless them, O God of all grace, with 
that grace and favor of thine, in which is life, and 
with all spiritual blessings in heavenly things in 
Christ Jesus. 

A Prayer for the Blessing of our intended Mar- 
riage. 

OMY God, thy bountiful favors have exceed- 
ed all my expectations, as well as my deserv- 
ings : and though I have wretchedly abused thy 
kindness and love, yet still thou waitest to be gra- 
cious; and art not weary to shew mercy. Now 
thy good providence, Lord, hast set the fruition be- 
fore me, which looks hopeful upon me, and for 
good to me. If thou knowest it to be so indeed, 
O Lord of love, promote and bring it to pass. And, 
that thou may est bless and prosper my designs, 
grant that I may proceed in thy fear and favor ; so 
as shall be for the glory of thy name, and the eter- 
nal welfare of myself, and thy servant, whom my 
thoughts and affections are set upon. O give me 
such a partner of my fortunes as may be a blessing 



The Husband's Prayer. 275 

to me, for this life and a better. And make us 
truly beneficial and comfortable to one another in 
all the best respects pertaining to our phiefest good* 
Grant, Lord, that we may be helps meet for each 
other, in reference to both worlds ; and that our 
love may be sincere without guile ; pure without 
lust ; and lasting without decay. O thou that fash- 
ionest all hearts, unite our affections upon such just 
and worthy accounts, as may make them firm and 
durable to the end. Wed us both to thy blessed 
self, as well as to one another, that our marriage 
may be in the Lord ; and not separate us from, but 
bring us nearer to our God. O grant us new sup- 
plies of thy grace for this new estate of our lives, 
that we may fill up the relation into which we are 
entering with all suitable duty; that we may not 
only be faithful, in still keeping the marriage bed 
undefiled, but be mutual helps and comforts, both 
in the temporal and spiritual concerns ; and even 
conspire together, to pleasure, and honor, and bene- 
fit one another ; and, above all, to glorify and praise 
thee our God, through Jesus Christ. Amen. 

The Husband's Prayer, 

ACCEPT my humble thanks to thee, Lord my 
God, who has provided a help -meet for me, 
that is thy gift ; and such an one as thy good pro- 
vidence hast appointed to be my partner in the 
nearest relation. O teach and enable me, in all 
things, to carry myself towards her as behoves and 
becomes me in this station : to love and cherish her 
as my own flesh ; and not to despise her, not to be 
bitter against her ; but to bear with her infirmities, 
and forbear her in love, and all gentleness. Nor let 
me insult over her as an inferior ; but mildly use 



276 The Wife's Prayer. 

my authority, in treating her as my dear yoke fel- 
low and companion. Not rigid in opposing of her ; 
but comply with her, and condescending to her in 
all her reasonable desires and expectations. O make 
me meek and patient with her ; faithful and kind to 
her ; respectful and tender of her, and well pleased 
and satisfied in her : that she may find the refresh- 
ment and benefit of my fellowship, and not bewail 
but rejoice in her choice ; to forsake all other for 
my sake. O blessed Lord, espouse my dear friend 
to thyself, in loving kindness and faithfulness, and 
tender mercies. Bless her and love her, and make 
her lovely to thyself, and to all; especially make 
her like the king's daughter, glorious within, that 
she may not only appear well here, but be most 
blessed for ever ; and grant, O Lord our God, that 
we may be lovers of one another's souls, and pro- 
moters of each other's salvation ; so that after a 
short conversation here, we may meet again with 
rejoicing there, where we shall never part, even in 
that fulness of joy which is in thy presence ; where, 
though there be no marrying, nor giving in mar- 
riage, yet is there greater festivity and gladness, 
than in any day of espousals ; and all heavenly 
sweets, and the highest pleasures for evermore. 
Amen. 

The Wife^s Prayer. 

OMY God, thou hast called me to this state of 
life ; and it is the disposal of thy providence, 
thai I should oe joined in wedlock with thy servant. 
I b^ess thee, Lord, that thou hast dealt well with 
me, and provided graciously for me. O continue 
thy goodness to me, in giving me knowledge and 
grace to demean myself aright in this relation, that 



The Wife's Prayer. 277 

I may honor and obey the Lord in reverencing and 
obeying my husband ; submitting to him in all 
things not forbidden by thee ; speaking of him, 
and to him, with such words, to signify the high 
esteem and dear love that I have for him : and so 
comporting myself, as to give him content, and in- 
crease his delight ; that he may not only be satisfied 
with me, but take pleasure in me : and in any oc- 
casions of offence, with silence, or soft obliging 
words, let me quench the flames ; so preserving 
peace. O give me the ornament of a meek and qui- 
et spirit ; such as may not only make me sweet and 
amiable at present, but also prevent all shameful 
and mischievous effects. O make me. humble and 
modest, discreet and considerate, careful and dili- 
gent, faithful and constant, mild and patient ; re- 
membering not only the duties and comforts, but 
also the temptations and crosses of the married con- 
dition ; and taking the worse with the better, as a 
pan of my portion; still shewing myself a follower 
of wise and pious "matrons in all things that are of 
good report, however I am tried with prosperity or 
adversity, Bless my dear partner, O Lord, with 
the best of thy blessings ; and love him, and keep 
him in thy continual care, till thou bring him to thy 
heavenly kingdom. O bind us both in faithfulness 
unto thee, as well as to one another : and as we are 
one flesh, so make us of one heart, and of one soul, 
that nothing but death may ever, make a separation 
between us. And let us not hold together only up- 
on the worldly account, but also, and especially up- 
on the religious and godly; to admire, and love, and 
serve, and glorify, and please thee our God, through 
Jesus Christ. Amen. 

Y 



[278] 

A Prayer for a Woman in Travail. 

O ALMIGHTY Lord God, who bringest to 
the birth, and givest strength to bring forth ; 
shew favor, we beseech thee, to thy servant in the 
time of her need and distress ; and be not far from 
her when trouble is nigh to her, and lies sore and 
heavy upon her : but let her experience thy help 
at hand, according to the necessity of her case. O 
mitigate the pangs, and make them tolerable to her ; 
and support and relieve her under the pain and pres- 
sure that are so grievous to be borne by her. And 
grant her, Lord, a timely, safe, and happy deliver- 
ance of the offspring wherewith she travails, that she 
may see the fruits of her womb with such comfort 
and joy, as may make her forget the past anguish 
and sorrow ; and with a truly thankful heart give 
thee the glory of such thy mercy, who dost things 
worthy of God, and makest thy servants a way to 
escape out of the dangers that threaten to destroy 
them. Or shouldst thou turn things contrary to 
these our desires, which we humbly present before 
thee ; shouldst thou refuse to hear us begging for 
the life of thy handmaid, and make this unexpected 
birth prove the cause of her death ; yet hear us, O 
Lord, we earnestly pray thee, for her soul, that it may 
be safe in thy blessed hands ; that she may be pre- 
pared for a better life ; and find the best deliverance 
of all from sin and misery, into the perfection of ho- 
liness, and the fulness of joy ; there to live in thy love, 
and to sing thy praise for evermore. Amen. 



B 



A Thanksgiving after a safe Delivery. 

LESSED for ever be thy name, O Lord, our 
gracious God, who rememberest us in our low 



A Prayer for our Children. 279 

estate, and dost not abhor the affliction of the afflict- 
ed ; but hearest thy servants crying to thee in their 
distress, and sendest relief and help in time of need. 
O that we may praise thee, Lord, as we ought, for 
such thy goodness and wonderful works to the chil- 
dren of men I Thou bringest down, and raisest up ; 
thou givest trouble and sendest comfort ; throwest 
down under fears and griefs, and again revivest our 
hopes and joys. Thou, O God, art good in all, and 
worthy to be admired and praised in every dispen- 
sation of thy providence ; but chiefly are we affected 
with thy seasonable aids of our misery, when thou 
givest us beauty for ashes, the oil of gladness for 
'mourning, and the garments of praise for the spirit 
of heaviness ; so thou hast now, blessed be thy name I 
refreshed thy afflicted handmaid, and rejoiced the 
souls of thy servants. And here we offer up unto 
thee, O gracious Lord, all our devout acknow- 
ledgments of thy loving kindness ; and the sacrifice 
of our unfeigned thanks and praise for this sweet re- 
viving mercy, which is as life from the dead. O 
that thy handmaid, and all of us, may be duly sen- 
sible of such favor from the Lord ; and for all the 
great goodness and these continual obligations from 
above, may we give thee all the love of our hearts, 
and the service of our lives, and the glory due to* 
thy blessed name, now and for evermore. Amen* 

A Prayer for our Children. 

THE children, O Lord my God, which thou 
hast given me, I return, and surrender them 
up to thee. O that they may know thee, and be 
owned by thee, every one from the greatest to the 
least. Pour out thy Spirit upon my seed, and thy 
bles sing upon my offspring : make them, Lord, thy 



280 A Prayer for our Children. 

children by adoption and spiritual regeneration. O 
take possession of their hearts, and season their ten- 
der years with thy heavenly grace : and teach those 
who have the teaching of them, that they may be 
brought up in the nurture and admonition of the 
Lord, and trained up in the way that they should go. 
1 have helped to bring them into the world, children 
of wrath : O that thou wouldst make me instrumen- 
tal to set them up in thy church the children of grace. 
Lord have mercy upon them, and speak life to their 
souls, and whatsoever else they want : O let them 
have thy grace and the portion of thy children. My 
God ! be thou a gracious Father to them, and a 
merciful Provider for them in all estates, and all af- 
fairs and events of their lives. Dispose of them, 
and whatever concerns them, to thy glory and to 
the promoting of their everlasting salvation. 

SLouldst thou take them from hence before me, 
O fit them for thee ; and make me willing to resign 
them to thee ; or if thou take me from them, O my 
Lord, take them up, and be an infinitely better Fa- 
ther to them when I am gone. O keep them from 
the evil of this world ; and conduct and bring them 
safe through it to a better \ take thou care even of 
their temporal concerns, and choose their inheritance 
for them, that they may find it to be convenient here, 
and an easy passage through the present life ; but 
especially, my God, take care of their souls, and 
give them the blessed treasure in heaven, that when 
they shall be deprived of all here, they may be ta- 
ken into thy glorious kingdom above : to live with 
thee, aid all the heavenly host, world without end. 
Ameiu 



[ 281 ] 

A Prayer for our Parents. 

OLORD God, my heavenly Father, I here 
prostrate myself before thee, to beg thy bless- 
ing, grace and mercy, upon my earthly parents. 
Cast them not away in the time of their old age ; for- 
sake them not when their strength fails them ; but 
have compassion, Lord, on their infirmities and help 
them in all their weakness. O remember not 
against them any of their former iniquities ; but ac- 
cording to thy mercy remember them for thy good- 
ness' sake in Jesus Christ. O that the true wisdom 
may be with them, and abundance of thy grace upon 
them, that their hoary heads may be found in the 
way of righteousness, and their souls be ever pre- 
cious in thy sight. O let goodness and mercy fol- 
low them all the days of their life: let their last days 
be their best days ; and the longer they live here in 
the world, make them still the readier to die, and 
the fitter to live with thy blessed self, in the glorious 
life eternal. O be thou their guide until death ; in 
death their support and comfort ; and when heart 
and flesh, and all here shall fail them, O do thou 
never fail them, but be the strength of their hearts, 
and their portion for evermore Amen. 

The Widow's Prayer* 

OEVER living and all disposing God ! thou 
hast taken from me the friend of my bosom, 
that was even as my own soul ; and by the want, 
now taught me the wonh of that blessing which I 
was not so thankful for, nor so careful as I ought, to 
use and improve, in the enjoyment, to thy glory. 
I submit to thy over ruling hand, which is always 
just, though sometimes heavy, as now I feel it upon 
Y 2 



282 The mdow's Prayer. 

me. O deliver me, Lord, from the sins which are 
the cause of thy displeasure ; and forgive me all 
wherein ever I have failed towards thee, or towards 
my dear partner. He was thy gift, and it was thy 
goodness that I enjoyed, and thy help and comfort 
that I found in him : who canst supply to me, by 
thyself, what I received from thee by his hands ; for 
thou art still the same eternal Fountain of goodness, 
whatever means of conveyance thou cuttest off from 
us. O pity me, Lord, under the breach which thou 
hast been pleased to make upon me, and support 
me in the dejection of my heart, and guide and com- 
fort me in all the perplexity of my thoughts. With- 
draw not thou thyself from me, O my God, now 
trouble is upon me ; but make even the bitter dis- 
pensation a happy occasion to bring me nearer to 
thyself, by removing that which, lay betwixt thee 
and my heart ; and to~raise this heart of mine from 
the present world to a better, where I hope my dear 
friend is now with the Lord : that as a widow in- 
deed, and desolate, and deprived of former helps, 
I may trust in God, and continue ia supplications 
and prayers night and day. O thou that hast a pe- 
culiar care, and tender regard for the widows, be 
pleased to espouse my concerns, and direct my path,, 
and shew me what I have to do, and fit me for, and 
assist me in every duty now incumbent upon me. 
O let my Maker be my husband to teach me, and 
help to defend and comfort me -> to deal graciously 
with me, and to be all in all to me ; and bring me safe, 
O my God, through this vale of misery, to the blessed 
kingdom of thy glory, for the sake of thy beloved 
Son, my only Saviour, Jesus Christ. Amen. 



[ 283 3 

Tlie Orphan's Prayer. 

OLORD my God, thou art he that took me 
out of my mother's womb; and art pleased: 
to style thyself in a peculiar manner, the Father of 
the fatherless : now am I left unto thee, my eyes are 
upon thee, and I desire to pour out my soul before 
thee, intreating thy gracious favor to have compas- 
sion on me, and leave me not desolate, exposed ta 
the wants and mischiefs, and dangers of this wicked 
and miserable world : But when my father and mo- 
ther have forsaken me, O Lord, do thou take me 
up, and be a Father, and the best of Fathers to me, and 
still a gracious Provider for me. Guide me, O my 
heavenly Father, and my friends also, that are con- 
cerned in the disposing of me and my affairs* O be 
thou pleased to choose my inheritance for me ; and 
order me, and all that concerns me to thy glory, and 
to the promoting of my present welfare, and my 
everlasting happiness. Direct my designs, that they 
may be agreeable to thy blessed will ; and bless and 
prosper my undertakings and endeavors, that they 
may succeed according to my desire, and so as to 
give me occasion for thy praise. My Lord, I com- 
mit myself to thee ! O be thou my God and guide, 
even unto death : be ever watchful over me for good> 
and preserve and keep me, and conduct and lead me 
in all the variety of estates and affairs of this life, till 
thou hast brought me to inherit the blessed portion 
of thy children, in that most sweet and glorious life, 
which shall never fail. Grant this, O merciful Fa- 
ther, for thy dear Son's safce, my only Saviour, Jesus 
Christ. Amen-, 



[ 284 ] 

The AgecVs Prayer. 

OLORD of my life, thou art my God from the 
womb, my hope and trust from my youth j 
by thee I was brought into the world, and upon thee 
have I lived all my days. O with what patience and 
long suffering hast thou endured me ! and with what 
loving kindness and tender mercies still prevented 
and followed me : how many have I seen snatched 
out of this life, as I fear, miserably unprovided for 
their death ; whereas thou prolongest my days, and 
together with more days, still addest new mercies to 
my life : O that it may be in mercy to my soul, that I 
am suffered to live so long in the world ; that as my 
life is lengthened out, so all that concerns my salva- 
tion may be filled up, that I may redeem the time, 
and improve all the opportunities and means of 
grace which thou art pleased to put into my hands, 
for the best profit and advantage of my soul, that my 
age may be the good old age ; and the remaining 
time of my sojourning here, the best of all my time. 
Though my sight is dim to the world, let my eyes 
be ever towards the Lord, and open to see the things 
of my peace : though my ears are dull of hearing, 
let my heart be attentive to thy calls, and to hear thy 
voice while it is called to-day. Though I cannot, 
as formerly, relish the pleasures of meat and drink ; 
yet let me taste the goodness of the Lord, and favor 
the things of the Spirit of God, and hunger and thirst 
after righteousness, and those pleasures which are at 
thy right hand for evermore. And though my limbs 
are weak, and my strength will not serve me to trav- 
el abroad as I have done ; yet make me strong in 
the Lord, to do thy work, and to walk in thy ways ; 
and to perform my great journey home to my house 
eternal in the heavens : and seeing there is no man 



The Aged's Prayer. 285 

that liveth and shall not see death : and the longer I 
have escaped it, the nearer I am now to it, and shall 
one day certainly fall by it ; and must every day 
reckon upon it, and know not but my soul this night 
maybe required of me : O let not my length of days 
tempt me to forget their end ; or to put my last day 
far from me : but let me keep it ever in my pros- 
pect as drawing nigh to me ; that I may order all 
my concerns, not only like a stranger and sojourner 
with thee, as all my fathers were ; but as a dying 
man, and ready to drop into the grave, waiting and 
watching, and preparing for the coming of my Lord ; 
that at thy coming, thou mayest find me so doing* 
And because I am old in sins, as well as in years ; 
pulled down with iniquity, as well as with age ; and 
the number of my transgressions exceeds not only 
my years and days, but even the hours of my life, and 
the hairs of my head ; where I cannot, alas ! pretend 
to my innocence ! O my gracious Lord, give me 
true repentance ! and that godly sorrow for my sins, 
which may prevent my going down in a worse sor- 
row to my grave. Thou hast saved many an aged 
sinner ; O God, be so merciful to me a sinner. Put 
all my sins upon the account of thy dear Son ; and 
wash me thoroughly from them, in the fountain of 
his precious blood. Especially, O merciful Lord, 
acquit and discharge me from the sins that lie heav- 
iest upon me; and that make the thoughts of death 
and judgment most frightful to me. O give me 
Lord, some tokens for good, that I shall find such 
mercy at thy hands, that I may depart in peace, and 
finish my course with joy, and in the end of my life 
be numbered among the redeemed and blessed of 
the Lord, through the tender mercies of my God, 
and the all-sufficient merits of my only Saviour, 
Jesus Christ. Amen, 



1286 ] 

The Child's Prayer. 

OM Y good God, who hast made me, have mer- 
cy upon me, and teach me to know thee, and 
incline my heart to love thee, and enable me in all my 
life to do thy will as I ought to do. Thou hast form- 
ed me in the womb for thyself, and in the church 
I have been devoted, and offered up to the Lord, as 
thy dear child, in all duty to wait upon thee. O thou 
blessed Guide of my youth \ give me thy grace, 
to understand and seek after God : Yea, to seek 
the Lord early, and to remember my Creator, and 
bear the yoke in the days of my youth ; that thou 
mayest not be unmindful of me in the time of 
age ; but make me to find a never-failing comfort in 
my latter days. As I grow in years and stature, so 
help me, Lord, to grow in wisdom and grace, and 
in favor with God and men. O keep me from the evil 
of this w r orld, and carry me safe through it to thy 
heavenly kingdom. Make me obedient and tracta- 
ble to my parents and teachers ; and lowly, and re- 
spectful, and courteous to* all : and bless me, and 
help me, Lord, in my learning of ail such things as 
shall stand me in stead, and do me good. O my 
heavenly Father \ take care of me, and provide for 
me, and so dispose of me in the world, that I may 
be useful, and serviceable in my generation, and a 
blessing to the place where thy providence shall set- 
tle my abode. Preserve me, O my Lord, from the 
infection of bad examples, that I may not be led 
away, and enticed to follow the ungodly despisers of 
thy laws and religion, but make me a lover and fol- 
lower of such as are good and godly, and a pattern 
of all that is commendable for others imitation. O 
God, thou knowest my foolishness, and seest how 
weak I am ; O look not upon my follies, nor remem- 



For the Rich and Great. 287 

bcr the sins of my youth ; but have pity on my infir, 
mities, and pass by my failings. And thou, that out 
of the mouths of babes and sucklings hast ordained 
strength, O magnify thy power in my weakness, and 
make me a profitable member of society, and the 
instrument of thy glory. Leave me not, O L,ord, 
to myself, in the hands of my own counsel ; but let 
me be taught of God how to behave myself, and 
what to do : and take thou the gracious charge and 
guidance and government of me ; and keep my heart 
still in thy fear and love 5 and direct all my ways to 
please thee, my God, through Jesus Christ. Amen. 

A Prayer to be used by the Rich and Great. 

OLGRD, the gracious Giver of all our good 
things ! thou hast opened thy hand to me in 
a bountiful manner, and givest me all things plente- 
ously to enjoy : so that I am full and abound in the 
store wherein many of my neighbors are indigent 
and wanting : G that this plenty, which I have for 
my body, may be in mercy and love to my soul ! 
And that I may not be put oif with my portion in 
this life, nor rest in the gifts, forgetting and slight- 
ing the blessed Giver \ for better I never had the 
world's good, if I am never the better for it. And 
the more I have, the sadder account I shall make, if 
I do not good to myself and others with it. The 
prosperity of fools destroy them. O good God ! 
grant that this may not be my case, that I may not 
so abuse my prosperous circumstances to rebel 
against thee, my Lord, with thy own bounty ; and 
carry worst towards thee, when thou dealest best 
with me. I am thy steward, O Lord ; grant I be- 
seech thee, that I may be found faithful in what is 
committed to my trust ; thatl may honor thee with 



288 For the Rich and Great. 

my substance, and serve the ends of thy holy religion 
in my prosperous condition. O that with the ful- 
ness put into my hands, leanness may not be sent in- 
to my soul ! That I may not wax proud and wanton, 
and careless of seeking after a better world; when 
I am so well provided in this ! O let not my riches 
choke thy grace, nor dull my zeal in thy service. — 
But the more thou hast done for me, my God, make 
me the more careful to approve the thankfulness of 
my heart to thee ; and the more concerned to please 
thee, and the more fearful to offend thee. Seeing 
thou hast pronounced it so hard for the rich to enter 
into thy kingdom, O keep me in continual vigilance 
to escape the temptations and dangers to which I am 
exposed in this condition. And teach me, good 
Lord ! how to abound, and to use this world with- 
out abusing it. That the bodily provisions may not 
through my folly, become snares and hindrances to 
my soul ; but by thy mercy may be helps and en- 
couragements to my duty. 

O let me not trust in uncertain riches, nor value 
myself upon what I have of the world, but be cov- 
etous after the true treasure of thy heavenly grace 
and love ; and count* all things but loss and dung, 
that I may win Christ, and be rich in good works, 
and abound in the fruits of righteousness. As thou 
fillest me with thy good things, so fill my heart with 
thy love and grace to use every gift aright to thy glo- 
ry, who hast made me so much to differ from multi- 
tudes of poor crratures here in the world. O let me 
not despise any above whom thy distinguished kind- 
ness has raised me ; but give me a heart to conde- 
scend to them of low estate ; and amidst all my 
plenty to be clothed with humility, and forward to 
all the offices of charity ; ready to communicate, wil- 
ling to distribute, laying up in store the goodfoun- 



A Prayer for the Poor and Low. 289 

dation against the time to come, that I may lay hold 
upon eternal life ; and so making me friends of the 
unrighteous mammon,, that when I fail they may re- 
ceive me into everlasting habitations. Whatsoever 
I have in the world, O that I may have it, Lord, with 
thy leave and love, sanctified to me by the word of 
God and prayer ; and by a right use and conscien- 
tious improvement of it to the honor of thy name, 
from whom every good and perfect gift does des- 
cend. O let me never gain the world at the hazard 
and loss of my soul ; but rather than so, let me be 
stript of all which I have in this life, that I may in- 
herit the heavenly treasure and life eternal, through 
Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen. 

A Prayer to be used by such as are Poor and Low 
in the World. 

OLORD, the great Disposer of all our estates 
and concerns ! thy Providence appoints every 
one their several stations ; and it is thy will that there 
should be poor and low, as well as rich and high, in 
the world. One thing is needful ; and it is not what 
we have of the world, but what we are towards God, 
that will do us good, and make us happy. If thou 
shower not down plenty upon me, yet Lord, give 
me what is needful and convenient for me. And 
however thou dealest by me for the things of this 
life, O deny me not the riches of thy grace, and the 
saving good of thy chosen, which is better than thou- 
sands of gold and silver. Teach me, my God, to 
suffer need, without repining at my lot, or coveting 
what I have not, or envying those that have it, O 
make me contented with my portion, and not ag- 
grieved to be obscure and mean in the world ; so 
that I may be known to heaven, and accepted in the 
sight of thee, my God, through Jesus Christ. Let me 
Z 



290 A Prayer for the Poor and Low. 

never stretch out my hand to iniquity, nor seek to 
help myself, by any dishonest ways of getting ; but 
choose rather to be poor than wicked ; and to want 
my daily bread, rather than thy heavenly grace : cast- 
ing all my care upon thee, and trusting to thy Fa- 
therly care, to provide for me. Let me labor, work- 
ing with my hands, the thing which is good, in all 
that I can, to minister to my necessities : and may 
thy blessings succeed and profper all my honest de- 
signs, and poor endeavors. 

And the less I have of this world, O let me be 
in greater care to lay out and labor for an infinitely 
better ! that I, who have no inheritance upon earth, 
may be made meet to be a partaker of the inheritance 
of thy saints in light ; that I may not lose both 
worlds, or pass from my small things here, to be out 
of all for ever ; but may have my treasure in heaven, 
and thy blessed self, O Lord, to be my portion for 
ever ; being found among those poor of this world, 
whom thou hast chosen, that are rich in faith, and 
heirs of the kingdom, which thou hast promised to 
them that love thee. 

And blessed be thy name, O righteous God ! that 
with thee there is no respect of persons ; but the 
poor are as capable of it as the rich ; yea, when it is 
so hard for the rich to enter, that thou hast put out 
of my way many of the snares and temptations that 
hinder others. And my poverty cannot keep me out 
of thy glory ; but when I am also poor in spirit, as 
well as low in the world, I have thy promise of the 
kingdom of heaven. My God! grant me that pov- 
erty of spirit, and those better things that accompa- 
v salvation ; and then how short soever lam kept 
in this life, thy will be done; though I have nothing 
to depend upon in the world ; yet I will rejoice in 
the Lord, I will joy in the God of my salvation ; 



A Prayer for the Master of a Family. 291 

having thee for my God, and chiefest good, and my 
most gracious Father in Jesus Christ. O Lord, 
give me thyself, and then I have all ; and for that 
best of gifts, I will bless thy name for ever more. 
Amen. 

The Master of a Family his Prayer. 

OMOST high God, the great Lord of all, 
whose providence disposes the several ranks 
of men in the world ; and thy word gives rules to 
masters, as well as servants, how to demean them- 
selves in their respective places. It is thou, my 
Lord, who hast made me the head of this house : O 
that I may walk in it with an upright heart ; and 
not shelter any ill thing offensive to God or man, un- 
der my roof! but countenancing the pious, correct- 
ing the vicious, and yielding myself a pattern of all that 
good which ought to be seen in the rest ; let me so 
command my children, and my household after me, 
that they may keep the way of the Lord. And as for 
me and my house, let us ever in faithfulness serve the 
Lord. O that there may not be a hypocrite, nor an 
unrenewed profane person among us. Let not me 
that am called a master, myself serve sin, nog, be en- 
slaved by my own passions and lusts ; but have the 
dominion over myself; and keep my eyes ever wait- 
ing upon the Lord my God, even as the eyes of ser- 
vants are in the hands of their masters. 

O that my wife may be the spouse of Christ ; my 
children the children of God; my servants the ser- 
vants of the Lord ! and all the members of my fam- 
ily the true members of thy church, and the constant 
followers of ail that is laudable and good. Let me 
not carry myself with rigor and a high hand, or des- 
pise the cause even of my servants 3 but with pa- 



292 A Prayer for the Master of a Family. 

tience and fairness hear them ; and give unto them 
that which is just and equal, knowing that I also 
have a master in heaven. Let me not insult over 
any that are under the yoke ; nor be severe and cru- 
el to them ; nor oppress and defraud them in their 
wages, nor any rewards or encouragements that they 
may justly expect from me. But let my dealings 
with them, and my usage of them, be upright and can- 
did, merciful and kind ; taking care of their bodies 
and their souls, of their maintenance and their car- 
riage, and all that concerns them as their benign pat- 
ron, and their faithful friend ; and treating them 
with all due regard, as my brethren and fellow ser- 
vants, and my equals in the worship of God, with 
whom is no respect of persons. O give me, Lord, 
an understanding heart and prudent conduct, and 
such a spirit of government, that I may go in and 
out before my people as one that is taught of God, 
and commanding nothing but in the Lord, accord- 
ing to thy will, and for the advancement of thy 
glory. 

O bless my house, Lord, and preserve it from 
vice and ungodliness, and from all disorders and dan- 
gers, and make it a nursery of virtue and piety, and 
all that is exemplary, and of good report. Direct, 
O God, and help us every one in the discharge of our 
several offices ; that we may employ ourselves as 
we ought, and with quietness do our own business ; 
never forgetting, but above all respecting and pur- 
suing the great work of the Lord, for which thou 
didst send us into the world. O keep us all ever- 
more in thy fear and love ; safe under thy tuition 
and upon the holy way to thy heavenly kingdom ; 
through thy mercy to us all, in our common Lord 
and Saviour Jesus Christ. Amen. 



[ 293 ] 
The .Servant's Prayer. 

O GOD, the Father Almighty, maker of hea- 
ven and earth ! it is the ordination of thy good 
providence, that there should be various ranks and 
degrees of men ; and that I should be disposed of 
in the station where now I am. Wherefore I sub- 
mit, Lord, to thy most wise appointment of all 
things ; and desire, with content and thankfulness, 
to accept of my portion, how low soever in the world. 
If my blessed Redeemer, who is Lord of all, would 
take upon him the form of a servant, and conde- 
scend even to the meanest offices for the service of 
our souls; O why should' I be aggrieved to be a 
servant under the yoke ? when in serving man as I 
ought, I do also serve the Lord ; and though bound 
to others I may be the Lord's freeman : yea, in faith- 
fully discharging the duties of my place, I shall be as 
acceptable to my God as any that enjoy the highest 
station. Heave it to thee, O Lord of all,, to choose 
my inheritance for me. Only I beg at thy hands that 
my lot may fall where my soul may prosper, though 
I work or fare the harder. For if my soul do well, I 
shall be for ever happy. If my heart be right with 
God, I shall have his blessed countenance , and love. 
And if I be found in the way of righteousness, I shall 
be exalted indue time, however abased at present. 
O my supreme Lord ! let it not be so much my care 
to get higher in the world, as to get more in thy fa- 
vor, wherein is life. Let it be more my concern, to 
fill my place, and discharge my duty with faithful- 
ness, than to change it for more ease, profit or honor. 
O let me not be the servant of sin, but enjoy the 
blessed liberty wherewith Christ Jesus sets all his 
people free ; the liberty fronr sinful bondage, the lib- 
erty to follow my Lord carefully, and to run the way 
Z 2 



294 The Soldier's Prayer. 

of thy commands with an enlarged heart. And, Lord, 
be thou pleased to fit me for, and teach and help me 
in the service to which I am called ; that I may per- 
form it to the glory of thy name, to the pleasure and 
welfare of those whom I serve, and my own true ad- 
vantage and comfort. O make me true and faithful, 
careful and diligent, humble and obedient, meek and 
patient, fair and peaceable ; doing the business of my 
place, not with eye-service as a man-pleaser ; but in 
singleness of heart, fearing God. Not cross and fro- 
ward, but apt to bear, and deny myself ; not answer- 
ing again, to stir up wrath ; but with silence and sub- 
mission, following the things that make for peace ; 
not debasing my master to set off myself; nor doing 
him any damage for my own filthy lucre, or fleshly plea- 
sure ; but tendering his credit and interest, as one that 
would be found faithful in the sight of my God, who 
evermore seest in secret, and searchest the very heart : 
and make me, I beseech thee, such every way towards 
thee, that thou mayest mercifully accept me, and all 
my service, for the sake of thy beloved Son, my bless- 
ed Saviour and Redeemer, Jesus Christ. Amen. 

The Soldier's Prayer. 

OLORD God of hosts ! who hast all the crea- 
tures in heaven and in earth ready to fight thy 
battles, and execute thy pleasure ! thou didst not sow 
any seeds of enmity in our nature ; but didst create 
man endued with all the principles of love and dispo- 
sitions to peace. It is from our lust and sins, that 
ihe wars and fightings come amongst us. First we 
fell out with our God, and our happiness ; and ever 
since it is a contentious, quarrelsome world that we live 
in, where restless men are jostling one another, and 
striving for that ease and content which the world has 



The Soldiers Prayer. 295 

not for them. Now that I am in this military station, O 
Lord, instruct and enable me to behave myself therein 
as I ought. O make me the faithful soldier of Jesus 
Christ, in that spiritual warfare, wherein I am to com- 
bat with the enemies that war against my soul. And 
that I may have peace with my God, let me have no 
peace with my sins, nor any part or lot with the 
rebels against heaven ; nor be carried away with any 
ungodly example, into such wickedness, against which 
thou, O God, hast declared thy wrath from heaven. 
O grant that I may never so strive with my Maker, 
nor allow myself in such a habit of mind, and course 
of life, as are enmity against God; but ever dread 
more to fall into thy hands than their 's, that can but 
kill the body ; and shew myself the more zealous 
for thee the more I see others set themselves against 
thee. O Lord most high! make me valiant for thy 
cause, as well as that for man, wherein I am now en- 
gaged. And preserve me, O my God, from the 
profaneness and blasphemy, the lewdness and de- 
bauchery, the rudeness and violence that are most in- 
cident to men of this profession ; that I may not be 
infected with their contagion, but preserve my in- 
tegrity, amidst all the temptations wherewith I am 
surrounded. 

Though the sword is in my hand, let the peace of 
God rule in my heart ; and though I am a soldier, let 
me not be a man of blood, delighting in , war ; but a 
ready servant of my country, a faithful instrument 
for our common defence and safety, and a dutiful 
subject to the powers ordained of God, for the Lord's 
sake. O my strength and my Redeemer, strengthen 
my heart and hands for the service to which I am 
called ; and make me successful and victorious, 
through thy blessing and power from on high. It is 
thou, Lord, only, that makest us to dwell in safety : 



296 A Prayer for the Melancholy and Dejected. 

O cover my head in the day of battle ; and in all 
times of danger, be thou my shield and buckler. — 
And either keep the evil from me, or arm me for it, 
that I may not be ruined by it, but gain good out of 
ir, and find bodily hurts making for the health of my 
soul : and even the temporal death but a gate open- 
ed to eternal life. And seeing I go with my life iu 
my hands, and am more exposed than other men to 
dangers and death, O make me more careful of my 
soul, more mindful of my latter end, and more dili- 
gent to put and keep myself in a preparation and rea- 
diness to die. And whether I prosper or miscarry in 
the attempts and enterprises wherein I am now con- 
cerned, O let my soul be ever precious in thy sight, 
and safe in thy hands. Help me, O my supreme 
Commander, the great Captain of our Salvation, so to 
live, that I may find it the greatest gain to die : and 
let me go on, as Christ's faithful soldier, so conquer- 
ing and to conquer the enemies of thy glory, and the 
hindrances of my own and others' salvation, that hav- 
ing overcome, 1 may sit down in thy kingdom, and 
triumph in thy sweetest love, and in thy heavenly joy 
and thy most glorious praises, world without end. 
Amen. 

A Prayer for the Melancholy and Dejected. 

OMOST good and gracious Lord ! thou know- 
est our frame, and art a God full of com- 
passion, to pity and relieve thy servants under their 
trouble and oppression. Look down we humbly pray 
thee, with thy wonted pity, and remember in tender 
mercy the work of thy hands, our 'disconsolate friend ; 
this troubled soul, that is even distracted in suffering 
thy terrors ; while thy wrath lies hard upon him, and 
all thy waves and billows are gone Gver him to dis- 



A Prayer for the Lunatic and Distracted. 297 

turb his peace, and oppress his mind, and unfit him 
rightly to use his reason, or discharge his duty. O 
thou that speakest the winds and waves into obedi- 
ence and calmness, settle and quiet his discomposed 
breast ; speak peace and satisfaction to his troubled 
mind ; and give him comfort and sweet repose, in 
the sense of thy pardon and love. Lord help his un- 
belief, and increase his faith, that he may not be 
faithless but believing. Though he now walk in dark- 
ness and has no light, let him trust in the name of the 
Lord, and stay upon his God* And in the multi- 
tude of the thoughts and sorrows that he has in his 
heart, O let thy comforts come in to refresh his soul. 
Be thou pleased, Lord, to deliver and ease him of the 
load that lies upon his spirit ; and let in the beam of 
thy heavenly light, to scatter and dispel all the clouds 
and darkness in which his mind is wrapt up. O di- 
rect to the means most proper for his help, and bless 
and prosper them so, that they may be efficacious to 
promote his recovery out of this low and doleful 
estate. Incline his ears to wholesome counsels, and 
fashion his heart to receive due impressions. O gra- 
cious Father \ pity his frailty, and forgive his iniqui- 
ty ; and heal him, Lord, both in soul and body ; re- 
buking his distemper so, that his disquieted soul 
may return to its rest. O raise him up and make 
him whole. Yea, make haste, O Lord, to shew 
mercy upon him, even for thy own mercy's sake in 
Jesus Christ, our blessed Saviour and Redeemer. 
Amen. 

A Prayer for the Lunatic and Distracted. 

OLORD, the only wise God ! thou givest un- 
derstanding, and takest it away as' thou pleas- 
est ; and thou art holy and righteous in all that ever 



298 A Prayer for the Lunatic and Distracted. 

thou dost. Though the reason and meaning of many 
of thy works are unknown to us ; yet still thou know- 
est well what thou hast to do ; and we must be dumb, 
and open not our mouths, when it is thy doing. The 
stroke which thou hast laid upon thy poor creature, 
would be just upon any of us ; and we must acknowl- 
edge it owing only to thy mercy that it is any better 
for us. But in tender compassion of his pitiable con- 
dition, we take upon us to beg thy merciful relief in 
his behalf. For thou, Lord, that givest sense and dis- 
cretion, canst as easily renew them when impaired : 
and thou that madest thy servant out of nothing, canst 
also bring him to himself again, and help him to use 
his reason aright, as he ought. 

O dispel the clouds in which now his soul is wrap- 
ped up, that he may come to a good understanding of 
himself, and the things of his peace ; reduce and heal 
the crazed and broken faculties ; or else settle and 
quiet them, pacify and compose them. Have pity we 
beseech thee, O Lord, upon him, and impute not 
unto him any thing that is now said or done amiss by 
him ; but in mercy pass it by, as if it had not been 
said or done at all. 

O that thou wouldst direct to some means for help 
in this case, and make him tractable to the use of re- 
medies, and willing and ready to comply with the ad- 
vice of his friends, till he shall be in better capacity to 
manage and help himself; and where no means will 
reach to work the cure, thou that canst open the doors 
which are barred against us, and art never at such a 
loss but thou knowest how to deliver; O reveal thy 
glorious arm, without means, to bring salvation from 
above ; and do the work worthy of God, to command 
that deliverance which is cut cf our prospect to see ef- 
fected; that thy name may have all the glory of such thy 
great and wonderful mercy in Jesus Christ. Amen, 



[ 299 ] - 

A Prayer for insensible Sinners. 

OLORD, the great Almighty God, who quick- 
enest the dead, and callest those things that are 
not, as if they were : with thee nothing is impossible ; 
but the things that resist all the skill and power of 
man, thy divine virtue and glorious operation, with 
the greatest facility , brings to pass. Thou, the living 
God, canst speak life to souls dead in trespasses and 
sins ; and make even such as lie in the grave of all 
their habitual corruptions, hear the voice of the Son of 
God and live. It is the great w r ork of thy eternal Spi- 
rit, Lord, to convince the world of sin; and to make 
inconsiderate, careless sinners to know themselves, 
and be concerned as they ought about the case of 
their souls. O that these poor insensible wretches, 
who have sinned themselves even past feeling, may 
find such mercy from the Lord, and yet come to 
feel in themselves the irresistable force of thy hand. 
O that thou wouldst open their eyes, to see their case, 
and soften their hearts to bewail their sins; and turn 
their course to flee from the wrath to come ! Blessed 
Lord, awaken them with thy terrors, before they be 
overtaken by thy judgments ! O break in upon their 
souls by thy mighty convictions, to set them in bit- 
terness for their sins ; and let thy quick and powerful 
word pierce into their hearts, to make them cry and 
seek but, what they must do to be saved ! 

O if they did but apprehend their case, and know 
their transgressions, that they remain so remorseless 
and unconcerned, as if nothing were amiss with them, 
and that can indulge themselves in pleasure and mirth, 
as if they were in the happiest condition, w r ould soon 
be struck down into the deepest heaviness and cons- 
ternation, refusing to be comforted ; and go mourning 
all the day long, yea, even roar for the disquietness of 



300 A Prayer for the condemned Malefactor. 

their hearts. O God of all grace, be thou pleased 
in mercy to shew such seeming severity ; to write 
bitter things against them, and make them confess 
their former iniquities ; and to feel now the weight 
and horror of all their sins, that they may not feel it 
eternally when past remedy. Direct and empower 
thy messengers, Lord, to speak home to their convic- 
tion, crying aloud, and not sparing to shew them 
their transgressions and their sins. Yea, make thy 
word in thy servants' mouths as fire, to enfiame and 
rouse the consciences of such drowsy secure sinners, 
that they may come to perceive what a forlorn, lost 
condition, they are in ; and' be restless in themselves 
till coming Ainto Christ, laboring and heavy laden un- 
der the load of their sins, in him they may find rest 
for their souls. O thou Almighty God ! do marvel- 
lous things, worthy of thyself in taking away that 
which blinds the minds, and hardens the hearts of 
such stupid creatures ; and bring them out of the 
worst lethargy and deadness, to understand them- 
selves, and seek after God, and to take and to follow 
the way of peace with thee, through our Lord Jesus 
Christ. Amen, 

The condemned Malefactors Prayer, 

OUT of the depths do I cry to thee, O Lord ! 
Lord, hear my voice * let thy ears be attentive 
to the voice of my supplication. If thou, O Lord, 
shouldest mark iniquities, O Lord, who should stand ! 
but there is forgiveness with thee that thou mayest be 
feared. Therefore I wait for the Lord; my soul 
does wait, and in thy word do I hope. Though my 
sins have found me out, and brought me to shame, and 
they are heinous beyond expression, and the thought 
and remembrance of them fills me with horror and 



The condemned Malefactor's Prayer. 301 

confusion ; yet I believe, Lord help my unbelief, they 
are not greater than thy Son has satisfied for, nor great- 
er than thy mercy in him can set me clear from, as 
bad and as sad as ever I have made my case. Woe 
is me, vile and wretched that I am, so foolishly and 
wickedly that I have done ! yet it is not past thy help 
and care, O Lord God Almighty, who at the' lowest 
canst raise, and at the worst art able to relieve us. — • 
Except we repent, thou hast told us, that we shall pe- 
rish, but upon our repentance, thou hast promised thy 
gracious forgiveness % And though sin has abounded, 
yet when we forsake our wicked ways and thoughts, 
and return to the Lord our God, thou hast promised 
to have mercy upon us, and abundantly to pardon. 
He that believeth not on the Son of God is condemn- 
ed with a worse condemnation than what I now lie 
under : but it is thy own most true and faithful word, 
O Lord, that whosoever believes in him shall not 
perish, but have everlasting life ; and that he who 
confesseth and forsaketh his sins, shall have mercy. 
Though I cannot find such mercy at man's tribu- 
nal, yet I beg it of thee, the Father of mercies, who 
art the Helper of the friendless, and dost not reject 
the cry even of fools in their distress, though be- 
cause of their sins they are afflicted, but rememberest 
us in our low estate, out of that mercy of thine which 
endures for ever. O thou that hast promised to for-* 
give every penitent sinner, make me, Lord, I be- 
seech thee, one of that number. O touch my heart 
with true remorse, that it may melt and bleed for 
my sins, and become such a broken contrite heart, 
as thou wilt not despise. 

O that the doleful circumstances which I am in, 
may be turned, through the riches of thy grace, in- 
to a happy occasion of converting my soul, and per- 
fecting my repentance, and promoting my salvation ! 
A a 



302 The condemned Malefactors Prayer. 

This is a time of shame and sorrow with me; but 
help me, good God, so to repent, and be converted 
that my sins may be blotted out, when the times of 
refreshing shall come from the presence of the Lord. 
Pardon my sin, for it is great ; too great for any but 
the God of infinite goodness and love to give me a 
merciful discharge from : and that thou mayest have 
the everlasting glory and my soul the refreshing 
fruit of thy mercy, O Lord, prepare me for it by 
such a serious repentance as thy holy word requires 
of sinners, and such as thy goodness in Christ Jesus 
will mercifully accept at my hands. What is past 
I cannot recall; but thou, Lord, canst remit it, and 
give me grace to repent of it ; O give me such sound 
repentance for my sins, that thou mayest also give 
me full pardon of them ; and never lay them to my 
charge, but upon the account of thy beloved Son, 
our blessed Saviour, who came to seek and to save 
that which was lost ; and who himself suffered and 
died once, that we might not suffer and die eternally. 
O wash me thoroughly from my iniquity, and cleanse 
me from my sin, in that fountain opened for sin 
and for uncleanness, the precious blood of the imma- 
culate Lamb of God, slain to take away the sins of 
the world, that thou mayest not abhor my soul, as I 
have jnstly deserved ; but, of thy wonderful mercy, 
accept me in the Son of thy eternal love, in whom 
thou art well pleased. 

My soul is exceeding sorrowful even unto death. 
O most gracious Lord ! grant that my sorrow may 
be the godly sorrow ; not only a sorrowing for the 
bitter consequences of my sin, but for the sin itself, 
and for my wicked offending of thee, my great Lord 
God, as I have done. O blessed Jesus, who earnest 
to call sinners to repentance, and thyself didst hang 
upon the cross, and shew thy compassion and 



A Prayer for Christmas. 303 

great salvation upon the poor malefactor there suf- 
fering ; remember me now in such mercy, Lord, 
for thy own mercy's sake. O Son of David have 
mercy upon me. Both now and ever, vouchsafe 
to hear me, O Christ ; graciously hear me, O Lord 
Christ ; and let thy mercy be shewed upon me, as I 
do put my trust in thee. O glorify this thy mercy 
in my salvation, and not thy justice in my destruc- 
tion. 

Though confusion is now my portion, yet help 
me, Lord, so to bear thy just indignation, and to ob- 
tain such benefit to my soul, out of the punishment 
of my body, that I may not hereafter awake to 
shame and everlasting contempt. And though I 
am now under the sentence of a temporal death, yet 
spare my soul, O most merciful Lord, and deliver 
me not into the bitter pains of eternal death. O 
that I may have all the shame and sorrow, and evil 
things in this life, that thou mayest spare me for ev- 
er ; and shew forth all the wonders of thy grace, and 
power, and mercy, to prepare me for, and support 
me under the deserved punishment which I am short- 
ly to suffer, and to give me hope in my death, even in 
this infamous death ; and after death some part in 
thy kingdom, if but to be the least and lowest in the 
house of my God, for the sake of thy own tender 
mercies, and for the infinite merits of the great Re- 
deemer of the world, my only Lord and Saviour, 
Jesus Christ. Amen, Amen. 

Prayer and Praise upon the Occasion of our blessed 
Savioufs coming into the world, 

BLESSING, and honor, and glory, and power, 
be to him that sitteth upon the throne, and to 
the Lamb, for ever and ever. O Lord God of our 



304 A Prayer for Christmas. 

salvation ! thou hast remembered us in our low es- 
tate, out of that mercy of thine which endures for 
ever. Thou hast raised up a great salvation and 
mighty deliverance for us ; to heal the sinful, to 
help the miserable, and to save that which was lost. 
None but thy blessed self, O Lord, the gracious Giv- 
er, knows the greatness of that gift, which thou hast 
conferred upon us j the greatest that thou couldest 
give or man receive, in giving thy only Son to be 
onr Almighty Saviour, to deliver us from the eter- 
nal miseries of hell, and to make us meet to be 
partakers of the heavenly inheritance of thy saints in 
light. O how wonderful have been the designs of 
thy love, and the counsels of thy wisdom, to re- 
cover our poor lost souls, and to work for them a 
salvation worthy of God ! that God should be mani- 
fested in the flesh, to destroy the works of the devil* 
and that the eternally Beloved of thy soul, should 
be made Son of man, to make us, sinful men, the 
children of God ! O what manner of love has the 
Father bestowed upon us ! exceeding all that ever we 
are able to say of it ! O that we and all men may 
praise thee, Lord, for thy goodness, and such thy 
wonderful works to the children of men : that we may 
ever, with all admiration and reverence, and thank- 
fulness, receive and ponder this great mystery of 
godliness : and that we may return the glory of sal- 
vation up to thee, who hast sent the joy of salva- 
tion down to us, that our souls may magnify the 
Lord, and our spirits rejoice in God our Saviour ; 
and blessed be the Lord God of Israel, that has so 
visited and redeemed his people. 

And now that thou hast laid help upon one that 
is mighty ; and found a ransom for us, and made 
the all-sufficient provision to save us ; O help thou 
us, Lord our God, as we ought, to entertain and 






A Prayer for Christmas. 305 

welcome the joyful news, that Jesus Christ is come 
into the world to save sinners. Father of mercies, 
prepare us for the blessed Saviour which thou hast 
prepared for us : that he who came into the world in 
the fulness of time, may come into our souls with 
the fulness of his grace, and with all the blessings 
and consolations of his coming ; and that, as he was 
miraculously formed in the Virgin's womb, he may 
be spiritually formed in our hearts. O thou great 
Lord and Lover of souls !■" remember our souls in 
mercy, with the favor which thou bearest to thy peo- 
ple ; and visit us with the joy of thy salvation. O 
make the way of salvation plain before us, that we 
may know where our help lies, and what we must do 
to be saved. And incline and quicken us, O Lord, 
with all readiness to take that way, and to embrace that 
grace of God which brings salvation and to comply 
w r ith the gracious designs of thy mercy, to do us the 
greatest good, to make us for ever happy^. G bless- 
ed Saviour, be thou an effectual Saviour unto us; 
and so save us from our sins, that thou mayest also 
save us from the wrath to come. So redeem us here 
from all iniquity, that hereafter thou mayest redeem 
us from everlasting misery. Thou earnest down to 
earth, to raise us up to heaven ; andtookest our na- 
ture, to make us partakers of thine. G that we may 
experience the mighty power of thy great salvation 
upon us, to heal our depraved natures^to sanctify our 
sinful souls, and to make us such lovers and follow- 
ers of thy holy ways, that we may have in us Christ 
the hope of glory, and those good things of thy Spi- 
rit which do accompany salvation. And for allthe 
great and strange things which thou hast so gracious- 
ly done for us, in revealing thy salvation and opening 
the doors of hope to us, and putting us in the way to 
that blissful end of our faith, the eternal salvation of 
Aa 2 



306 A Prayer for the Passion-Dai/. 

our souls, which thou hast purchased for us; Unto 
thee, O blessed God our Saviour, in the unity of the 
ever glorious Trinity, be all thanks and praise, and 
honor, and glory, rendered by us and all thy church 
now and for evermore. Amen. 

A Prayer on the Occasion of our blessed Saviour's 
Death, 

OGOD, the Father of mercies, and of our Lord 
Jesus Christ, through whom every mercy is 
vouchsafed and derived unto us ; thou didst create 
us after thy own blessed image, in a holy and happy 
estate, but we have defaced thy first handy work, and 
put ourselves not only in a case of strangeness 
unto thee, but of enmity against thee ; in Adam 
all die ; and by the offence of one, judgment 
came upon all men to condemnation : yet thou 
hast not used us as enemies, to leave us in the 
sad ruins of our fall ; but hadst an eye of pity to us, 
lying in our blood, to bid us live : though thy 
own eternal beloved Son was fain to die, to save us 
from that everlasting death, which is the due wages 
of our sins, yet him thou sparedst not, that thou 
mightest spare us, and make us the eternal monu- 
ments of thy saving mercy. O what amazing un- 
speakable love is this, that even when enemies, we 
should be reconciled to God, by the death of his Son ! 
But O the cursed nature of sin, to be hated with a 
perfect hatred, that had need of such an atonement ! 
O the dreadful justice of God, how should we ever 
stand in awe of it ! that required such a satisfaction ! 
O the love of Christ which passeth knowledge, that 
would redeem our poor lost souls at such a costly 
rate ! and shed his own precious blood to save us ! 
And O the precious death of our Lord Redeemer, 



. A Prayer for the Pa$$ion-Day. 307 

to be had in everlasting remembrance ! By it we 
abide, and upon that we depend for the pardon of all 
our sins ; and for our whole acceptance with God, 
both here and for ever. Though we could not sat- 
isfy thy justice, O God, for our sins, should we suf- 
fer eternally ; yet thy Son has satisfied in full, and 
nothing at all remains on their score, for whom thou 
art pleased to accept his infinite satisfaction. And see- 
ing there is balm in Giiead, and a Physician that is 
able to heal us, O let not our souls be unhealed : 
let not the great things which our Lord Redeemer 
hath done and endured for poor lost sinners, be lost 
unto us ; but let the same be mercifully accepted upon 
our, account, and for our sins. O let not the blood 
of Jesus Christ, as to us, be shed in vain ; but let it 
purge and purify us from all our sins, and make our 
peace with thee, the just and holy God, against whom 
vve have greatly sinned : that we may be healed by 
his stripes, and find his death yfnto us the savor of life. 
Though we are sinful and unclean, yet what pol- 
lution and defilement cannot this Fountain, opened 
for sin and uncleanness, wash and cleanse us from ! 
Having therefore such an all-sufficient Saviour to re- 
pair to ; we will not be faithless, but believing that 
Christ is our Lord, and our God, who loved and re- 
deemed us, and washed us from our sins in his own 
blood. O that we may know him , and the fellowship 
of his sufferings, and be so conformable to his death, 
that it may mortify the corruption of our nature, and 
the lusts that war in our members ; and crucify the 
world unto us, and us to the world ! The Lord 
pardon all our forgetfulness and disregard, and 
contempt of thy affection to us, and thy affliction 
for us ; and make us to know more of the love 
wherewith thou hast loved us ; and touch our 
hearts with such a powerful sense of thy love, that 



308 A Prayer on the Resurrection, 

we may make better returns of love to the great 
Lord and lover of our souls ; and that we may never 
forget or slight such unparalleled kindness and love 
of God our Saviour, stronger than death, and better 
than life. O that the life which we now live, may 
be by the faith of the Son of God, who loved us, and 
gave himself for us ! O let us, at all times, so Jive 
that we may abound in thy love. Blessed Lord ! 
let this be ever preferred above our chief joy ; and 
let nothing in the world ever be so dear to us as the 
altogether lovely Jesus, who has given the highest de- 
monstration of love that ever could be given to our 
poor lost souls. And to thee, our Almighty Re- 
deemer, and sweet Saviour, be all the praise and 
glory given, most humbly and heartily, now and eter- 
nally. Amen, Amen. 

Prayer and Praise on the Occasion of our blessed 
Saviour's Resurrection. 

BLESSED be the God and Father of our Lord 
Jesus Christ, who according to his abundant 
mercy, has begotten us again to a lively hope, by the 
resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead. It is he 
that liveth and was dead; and behold he is alive for 
evermore, Amen y and has the keys of death and of 
hell. The Lord liveth and blessed be our Rock, and 
let the God of our salvation be exalted. He that bore 
our griefs and carried our sorrows, has wrought 
eternal redemption for us : with his own right hand 
and holy arm, hath he gotten himself the victory ; 
having loosed the pains of death, because it was im- 
possible he should be holden of it. The glorious 
Sun of Righteousness is risen with healing in his 
wings ; and hath shewed, that he is able to save him- 
self, and to save to the utmost all that come to God 
through him. Our eyes therefore are to thee,0 Lord, 



A Prayer on the Ascension. 309 

our life, our strength, and our Redeemer, who hast all 
power in heaven and in earth, to whom nothing is 
impossible or difficult ; who quickenest the dead, 
even souls dead in sin, as well as bodies dead in the 
grave ; and hast life in thyself, to give it to whom- 
soever thou wilt. O that we may know thee, and 
the power of thy resurrection \ and that we may feel 
it efficacious to raise us out of the grave of our sin- 
ful corruptions, to newness and holiness of life ! that 
having part in the first resurrection, the second death 
may have no power over us. Speak death to our sins, 
O Lord, that our souls may live, and for ever bless 
thy name. Thou, O Christ, art our life ; and in thee 
is all fulness of whatever we want. O give us that life 
which thou earnest into the world to give, and let us 
have it more abundantly : yea, such life, from thee, 
as may enable us to live unto thee, and that entirely 
and cheerfully, even as long as we have any life and 
being. Amen. 

Prayer and Praise on the Occasion of our blessed 
Saviour's Ascension. 

THOU art the King of Glory, O Christ ; thou 
hast ascended on high, and dragged the infer- 
nal foes after thy triumphant chariot. And thou art 
exalted far above all principalities and powers ; and 
enthroned in the highest glory in thy heavenly king- 
dom, where saints and angels, and ail the host of hea- 
ven do admire and adore thee. Be thou exalted, 
Lord, and reign in the greatness of thy power and 
majesty, till thou hast brought all enemies in subjec- 
tion under thy feet. But Lord, remember us, now 
thou art in thy kingdom, where thou rulest and reign- 
est on high. O regard the supplications, and relieve 
the necessities of thy poor subjects and servants here 



310 A Prayer for Whitsuntide. 

below. Save Lord, and let die King of heaven hear 
us when we call. And O that we may feel the pow- 
erful attraction of thy grace and Holy Spirit ; to draw 
up our minds and desires from the poor perishing 
enjoyments here below, to those most glorious and 
everlasting attainments above, where thou sittest at 
the right hand of God. O let us lay up our treasure 
and have our conversation with thee in heaven ; and 
so love thy appearing, and desire to be dissolved and 
to be with Christ, that when Christ, who is our life 
shall appear, we. may also appear with him in glory : 
and after our ascending and dwelling above in heart 
and spirit, we may at last personally ascend, in soul 
and body, to be ever with the Lord : there, togeth- 
er with thy whole triumphant church, to see and ad- 
mire, and love and bless, and praise and glorify thee, 
O blessed God, our Saviour, world without end. 
Amen. 

A Prayer on the Occasion of the coming of the Holy 
Ghost. 

OTHOU infinite eternal Spirit, the Lord and 
giver of life, who workest all in all ; and es- 
pecially workest and abidest in the hearts and souls 
of men ! pardon, we beseech thee, all our resisting 
of thy motions, and quenching the flames which thou 
hast ever enkindled in our breasts. And be pleased 
so to enlighten our minds, and purify our hearts, that 
we may be fit to receive and entertain thee, as the 
Guide and Comforter of our souls. O blessed Truth ! 
lead us into all truth ; and bring all needful things 
out of thy word to our remembrance : and set them 
home powerfully upon our hearts, to influence our 
lives, and to do us good, in every time of our need. 
O work, Lord, the grace that is not in us ; and es- 



A Prayer for any Saint's Bay. 311 

tablish and increase what thou hast already wrought 
upon us. Excite and stir us up to all good ; and en- 
able us for the performance of it, and engage us to 
continue and persist in it. 

O come down, Lord, as fire, upon us, to consume 
our dross, and to make clean our hearts, and inflame 
them with heavenly love, that we may rightly relish 
thy holy things, and be lively in following of thy holy 
ways. O be thou a powerful principle of life and 
light, and love, and of all grace and holiness in our 
souls, to clear and illuminate our minds, to spirit- 
ualize and raise up our affections ; and to pacify 
and compose our consciences ; and to bring our 
souls out of every dangerous, self-destroying course, 
into the paths of righteousness — and that way of 
life, which is above to the wise, to depart from 
hell beneath. O blessed Lord, restrain us from griev- 
ing the Holy Spirit of God, whereby we are sealed 
to the day of redemption ; and cast us not away from 
thy presence. Take not thy Holy Spirit from us. O 
make us so tractable to his holy motions, that we 
may experience his heavenly consolations. And 
let the joy in the Holy Ghost be more to us 
than all the pleasures of the world. O blessed 
Spirit ! be thou ever with our spirits, to heal our 
distempers, and help our infirmities, and w r ork migh- 
tily upon our hearts by thy grace, till our souls are 
fitted for that glory which is unspeakable and ever- 
lasting. Amen. 

A Prayer on the Commemoration of any Saint. 

OGOD of all grace, who art pleased to call out of 
this present world a peculiar people to thyself; 
and so far to discover thy grace, and pour out thy spi- 
rit upon many of thy servants, to make them shine 



312 A Prayer for any Saint's Day^ 

as lights in the midst of a crooked and perverse gen- 
eration ; eminent in all praise- worthy things ; and 
great examples to the rest of mankind ! We bless 
thy name, O Lord, that thon hast not left this mis- 
erable world destitute of such helps and patterns, 
both to shew us a more excellent way than the way 
of the world ; and also to shew us how practicable 
is our duty ; and what encouragement we have to 
take the holy good way, wherein others, with such 
happy success, have gone before us ; that we, in our 
sluggishness, might be excited to be followers of 
them, as they were of Christ. And seeing we are 
encompassed with so great a cloud of witnesses, O 
that we may lay aside every weight, and the sin 
that doth so easily beset us, and run with pa- 
tience the race that is set before us ! Teach and en- 
able us, O King of saints, to make the good use and 
advantage of thy gifts and graces, shining forth in 
the inoffensive useful lives of such as have given thy 
holy religion the best recommendation, by letting 
men see their good works ; and how much more 
excellent it makes the righteous than their neigh- 
bors. 

O that we may never persecute thy saints, nor 
madly despise those who are as the apple of thine 
eye, whose great care is to approve themselves faith- 
ful in thy covenant, and zealous for thy glory : and 
not only to preserve their integrity, and keep them- 
selves unspotted from the world ; but to do good 
in their generations, and turn many to righteousness. 
May we ever hold such in highest reputation while 
living, as well as count their memories precious when 
they are dead. O heavenly Father ! let them be 
dearest to us that are so to thyself And let all our 
delight be in such excellent ones, the saints that are 
in the earth, of whom the world is not worthy ; 



A Soliloquy upon the Creed, 313 

however they be so frequently raid greatly abus- 
ed by the world, as if unworthy to live in it. O 
let us not be conformed to this world, nor follow 
the multitude to do evil ; but be followers of 
those, who, through faith and patience, do al- 
ready inherit thy glorious promises ; and so live the 
life, that we may also die the death of the righteous. 
Help us, Lord our God, so to imitate thy saints here, 
in their holy living, that hereafter we may be num- 
bered with them in the glory everlasting. As we 
desire and hope for their blessed end, O let us love 
and follow their godly way, and make the commu- 
nion of saints a point of our practice, as well as an 
article of our faith : being lovers of all good men, 
honoring them that fear the Lord, and esteeming 
them very highly in love for their work's sake. And 
the Lord increase the number of the true converts, 
and thy faithful people, and those that be followers 
of God, as dear children in all places. O let thy 
kingdom come, and thy will be done on earth, as it 
is in heaven, that thy church may grow and prosper 
and flourish ; till we, with all thy servants departed 
in the Lord, meet together in the kingdom of our 
Father, to live in thy presence and love ; and to en- 
joy and praise thee, world without end. Amen. 

A SOLILOQUY for the pious Soul's Solace : 
by Way of Paraphrase on the Creed. 

LET not your heart be troubled, saith the Lord 
of love, our dear compassionate Redeemer ; 
ye believe in God, believe also in me, the Messen- 
ger of his love, sent to be the Saviour of the world. 
Why art thou cast down then, O my soul ! and 
why art thou disquieted within me ! when 
B b 



314 A Soliloquy upon the Creed. 

I believe in God, 
And am not exposed, as one forlorn, to shift for my- 
self, and to make a happiness out of my own stock, 
or want it ! but I have a God to repair unto, and de- 
pend upon ; and to expect all that ever I can desire 
from him. And this God is 

The Father, 
Not only of our Lord Jesus Christ, by eternal gene- 
ration, but my Father, by a late creation, which has 
brought me out of nothing to what I am ; not only 
to being, and life, and sense, but to the use of reason 
and to the enjoyment of all that ever I have in the 
world. Yea, I am bold to father myself upon him 
also by a spiritual adoption.; and I persuaded am that 
a woman may sooner forget her sucking child, than 
the Lord will forsake that work of his hands which 
he has now created in Christ Jesus : nor is he less 
able than willing to do me good, being 

Almighty ; 
And what is too hard for Omnipotence ? or who can 
pluck me out of his hands, to whom the very pow- 
ers of hell are but weakness ? Though I am weak 
as a shaken reed myself; yet my help stands in the 
name of the Lord, who is the 

Maker of Heaven and Earth. 
And what can any of his creatures do against me, 
when God himself is for me ; he that made all, will 
he see his child want a competency in the world ? 
or should I be turned 01 :> of the earth, yet all hea- 
ven is the Lord's ; and when he is my portion, I am 
sure of that which is infinitely better than all the 
world's good; which, alas, is but a poor drop from 
the 'eternal Fountain of all goodness. And what 
can be better ihan him that made it, and gave it all 
that goodness which it has ? Myself, and whatever 



A Soliloquy upon the Creed, 315 

I see in the world, was once nothing ; and the great 
Lord, who was most blessed before all worlds, and 
would have been nevertheless blessed, though we 
had never been at all, he has brought us into being ; 
not for any need he had of us, but to communicate 
of his goodness to us, 

In Jesus Christ. 
And what so sweet as Jesus in my mouth ! No such 
music in my ears ; no such gladness in my heart. 
I was lost, and Jesus is my Saviour ; I was dead, 
and Jesus is my life ; I was an enemy, and Jesus is 
my peace. Still I sin, and Jesus is my advocate 
with the Father. Christ is my prophet to direct 
me, my priest to atone for me, my king to defend 
me, and to watch for good over me; he is all that I 
want and that I can wish. I am worse than nothing 
without him ; and have all things given me togeth* 
er with him, who is the beloved of the Father ; 

His only Son. 
The only one, by nature, that is co-equal with the 
Father ; and having such a friend in the court of hea- 
ven, I will therefore come boldly to the throne of 
grace. For if the Son make us free, we shall be free 
indeed. The Father will deny us nothing that we ask 
in his name ; and the Son upbraids us, that we make 
no more use of this our blessed privilege. Hitherto 
ye have asked nothing in my name, saithhe; ask and 
ye shall receive, that your joy may be full. Such 
pleasure has he in the prosperity of his servants, who is 

Our Lord, 
Our heavenly Sovereign; at whose feet kings do cast 
their crowns, and all the angels of God worship him. 
() happy the servants that have such a Lord ! and 
blessed be the Lord, that will admit me in the num. 



316 A Soliloquy upon the Creed. 

ber of his servants ! Is not he my Lord, that has 
beught me? In one sacrament I was listed into his 
service ; and in the other, how oft have I sworn to 
him allegiance ! This is the crown of all my glorying, 
that Jesus is my Lord, 

Who was conceived by the Holy Ghost, 
In a miraculous manner, above all the power of na- 
ture ; and without any the least spot of sin ; that he 
might be the meet propitiation for all our sins. He 
is fairer than the children of men, who are, all of them, 
shapen in iniquity, and conceived m sin. But he is 
free from every blemish, and altogether lovely. 

Born of the Virgin Mary, 
And so he has done the highest honor to our poor 
nature, by uniting it to the divine ; taking part of our 
flesh and blood, that he might not only be touched 
with the feeling of our infirmities, but also taste death 
for our offences : coming down to earth to raise us up 
to heaven ; and manifested in our flesh and blood, that 
he might not only be touched with the feeling of our 
infirmities, but also to taste death for our offences: 
coming down to earth to raise us up to heaven ; and 
manifested in our flesh, to bring salvation home to 
our very doors : And how can I ever now be at a 
desperate loss, when the Lord, in whom lies our 
help, is become God with us ! and to embolden our 
addresses to him, he has vouchsafed even to set up 
his dwelling among us. All the glory of salvation 
be to thee, O Lord, who has brought such joy of 
salvation to the world. 

He suffered under Pontius Pilate. 
And having no need at all to suffer for any sins 
of his own, was he not wounded for our transgres- 
sions and bruised or our iniquities? O wicked 



A Soliloquy upon the Creed, 317 

wretch ! that I should be one of those, who put 
the Son of God himself upon suffering ! but O how 
happy for me, that he should be pleased to suffer 
once, to save me from suffering for ever. 

He was Crucified. 

Love, that was strong as death, fastened my Saviour 
to the infamous tree ; with his arms extended to re- 
ceive me ; and his side opened to make me a passage 
to his very heart. O my dearest Lord ; God forbid 
that I should glory save in thy cross ; which I shew 
Satan to confound him ; on which I lean, to rest my 
weary soul ; and to which I will cling, though car- 
ried by the gates of hell : yea, by which I hope to 
climb to the glory everlasting in heaven. He was 

Dead,'- 
Not only Abraham; the friend of God, gave up the 
ghost ; but he that was before Abraham, our blessed 
Saviour himself, the well beloved Son of God, when 
he took upon him the seed of Abraham, was not ex- 
cused from: dying. And shall I then conclude that my 
God has no kindness for me, because I must follow 
such forerunners, and go the way of all flesh ? No i 
though he slay me, yet will I trust in him, and have 
hope even in my death ; for the death of Christ is 
my life ; seeing he has taken out the sting of death 
temporal, and made it the very entrance to life eter- 
nal. He has led us the way, through that gloomy 
vale, to the glorious region of immortality. And 
shall death separate me from my Saviour, or divorce 
my soul from the heavenly bridegroom ? No; I de- 
part hence to be with Christ, and that I may get near- 
er to him whom my soul loveth. He is gone be- 
fore ; and, Lord, I will follow thee whithersoever thou 
goest. Thou wast laid in the srave, 

BbiT 



318 A Soliloquy on the Creed. 

And Buried, 
To make that desolate place inviting by thy pre • 
sence ; to perfume the chambers of death, and turn 
the horrible pit into a happy seminary — where the 
poor, weak, perishing flesh is sown to come up again, 
powerful, glorious, and incorruptible. And shall I 
shrink from the bed where my Lord himself lay i 
would I lie better than he did ? No ; the grave it- 
self is become a goodly lodging since Christ was 
there. And I will not go down in sorrow to my 
grave, when going but to sleep with Jesus, the life of 
my soul, and the spring of all my joy. 

He descended into Hell- 
Three days he continued in the state of the dead, that 
none might question the truth of his death, upon 
which depends all our hope of pardon and life. That 
I might not dread the parting of soul and body, which 
befel my Lord himself ; and that none belonging to 
him might be out of heart, even at the lowest ebb, 
when our Redeemer, \yho lay so long under the 
power of death. 

The third Day he rose again from tite 

Dead. 
And shall I be in bondage all my life, through fear 
of death, when under the conduct of such a victori- 
ous Captain of salvation, that has triumphed over 
all the powers of the grave r No ; he lives and was 
dead. And though I know I must die, yet withal 
I know that my Redeemer liveth, and is alive for ev- 
ermore ; and because he lives, I shall live also ; for 
he has no life but what every member of his shall 
share in. Now, therefore, O death, I can triumph 
over thee, since my Lord has routed all thy forces. 
It is true, yet thou canst kill me, but thou canst 






A Soliloquy upon the Creed. 319 

not hurt me ; for take down this crazy cottage and 
a better fabric shall succeed to stand for eternal ages, 
But could not all the bonds of death hold my Al- 
mighty Saviour ? Dearest Lord ! thou was arrested 
for our debt,, and laid up in the prison of the grave, 
on our account ; but thy release gives me a cheerful 
assurance that thou hast satisfied divine justice to the 
utmost. Since thou art come so gloriously forth, I 
am sure that all is discharged.. Then blessed be the 
God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who ac- 
cording to his abundant mercy, has begotten us again 
to a lively hope, by the resurrection of Jesus Christ, 
from the deado. 

He ascended into Heaven. 

And O with what joyful acclamations was he wel- 
comed home into those high regions of the blessed 5 
after all his wondrous achievements, to effect eternal 
redemption for us I He led captivity captive, and 
dragged the infernal powers after his triumphant 
chariot/to shew that hell, as well as death, is subject 
unto him. And now he has cleared us a way to 
glory, and opened the kingdom of heaven to all be- 
lievers ; being gone to prepare a place for us ; that 
where he is, there we may be also. Even where 

He sitteth at the right hand of God^ 
the Father Almighty ; 

Far above all principalities and powers, a glorious 
King for evermore. With all powers and authori- 
ty in his hands, and all the crowns and mansions of 
glory at his disposal.- He is not only the Prince of 
the kings- of the earth, by whom they all do reign: 
but all the angels in heaven fly to do his pleasure ; 
where he has thrown off the veil, under which he 
shrowded his majesty here below ; and shews him- - 



320 A Soliloquy upon the Creed. 

self now in all the splendor of the King of glory, to 
the admiration of the highest cherubims and sera- 
phims, who will be joyfully taken up to all eternity, 
in beholding such wonders of divine beauty and glo- 
ry. To him I look as the great author and finish- 
er of our faith, and the blessed object of my daily 
worship and devotion ; who, in all the height of his 
glory, does not forget his poor retainers here, but 
has still bowels of compassion to intercede for us, 
as well as fulness of power to prevail on our behalf; 
and God forbid that I should forget this absent friend ; 
that he should be, to me, out of sight out of mind. 
O where should be my heart, but with the great 
love and beloved of my soul ? who not only hum- 
bled himself on earth, but even now iaheaven hum- 
bles himself, as to remember me in my low estate. 
And when I am loaded, or gravelled, that I know 
not what to do, I will go and put the matter into his 
hands, who can easily help me out, and set me right ; 
for those enemies who are too hard for me he can 
soon make his footsool?. What boon so big to be 
asked, but this great Master of requests in heaven, 
can obtain it for me ? What time I am afraid then, 
or troubled, in a strait or at a loss, I will look unto 
Jesus, at God's right hand above, and remember his 
kind offices there ;. and pray his friendship, and en- 
treat his gracious favor, who is worthy ever to be 
heard for me, though I am unworthy to speak for 
myself 

From thence he shall come to judge the 

Quick and the Dead, 
And shall appear in greater power and glory than 
ever he was seen here in weakness and poverty ; 
when his stubborn enemies, that would not that he 
should reign over them, shall be brought forth and 



v A Soliloquy Upon the Creed. 321 

slain before him ; and all his sheep that hear his 
voice, and follow him, waiting for his coming, and 
loving his appearing, shall then hold up the head, and 
never droop any more, but find the most refreshing 
sunshine amidst all the gloominess and horrors of that 
day ; which will be to them a day of discharge, and 
jubilee, and coronation ; the most sweet and light- 
some day that ever came over them. Then shall I 
see him sit on the throne to give me my portion ; 
who was nailed on the cross to purchase my salva- 
tion ; my Advocate, my life, my Saviour, will be 
alone exalted in that day. And will my Advocate 
accuse me ? will my life destroy me ? will my Sa- 
viour condemn me ? No ; though good and bad 
both be called over there; long as Jesus is my 
judge, who himself has satisfied for the bad, and 
will make my imperfect good then shine out as the 
noon-day; I will pray, come Lord Jesus, come 
quickly. 

I BELIEVE IN THE HoL Y^GhoST, 

The Lord and giver of life, the heavenly counsellor 
and comforter of our souls, by whom I call Jesus 
Lord, and cry Abba Father unto my God. And 
having such a blessed guardian, and divine inhab- 
itant, why do I drag on heavily, as if left comfort- 
less? why do I not overflow with joy in the Holy 
Ghost ? am I weak ? he is the power of the Most 
High, to help my infirmities. Am I forgetful ? he 
is the kind monitor, to bring all needful things to 
my rememberance. Am I afraid lest I should fail 
of God's acceptance and salvation ? this blessed 
Spirit witnesseth. with my spirit, that I am the child 
of God; and seals me to. the day of redemption. 
Away then, thou foul accuser of the brethren : peace 
clamorous conscience; and stand aside all pitiful crea- 



322 A Soliloquy upon the Creed. 

ture comforts ; I have affiance in the Holy Ghost, 
the Comforter. For I belong to 

The holy Catholic Church. 
I am a member of that most truly royal society, some 
of which, are already entered into the joy of their 
Lord, got out ofthe field to their crowns; and passed 
from service to triumph ; and the rest here — yet on 
our pilgrimage and warfare — are reaching forth to 
the glorious prize of the high callingof God in Christ 
Jesus. The lines are fallen to me in pleasant places, 
where the Sun of Righteousness is sent to us, and 
causes the heavenly day-spring from on high to shine 
upon us ; yea, in that church, against which the gates • 
of hell shall not prevail. I believe 

The Communion of Saints* 
The same life and spirit pervades the multitude of 
believers every where : and like so many rivulets 
they run all to the same sea; although not in the 
same channel: Or, like divers, strings of a musical 
instrument, though they have several notes, yet they 
make up one song of praise and glory to their com- 
mon Lord ' r from whom they receive influence, as 
all the bodily parts do from the head, and are knit 
together as fellow members of Christ's body. They 
are the household of faith ; of that corporation and 
family of heaven ; for the sake of which they forget 
their own people, and father's house. Yea, as all 
the parts ofthe body, how mean soever, share in the 
same life as is in the head and heart, and the noblest 
members despise not the vilest ; but the lowest are 
of use to the highest and all conspire for the joint in- 
terest of the whole ; so I, as a part of this great body, 
whilst I struggle not for myself, but keep to the flock 
of Christ, and join with them in the worship and ser- 



A Soliloquy upon the Creed. 323 

vice of my Lord, and tender and love them in my 
heart, am one of their happy number, and do share 
in the prayers of every faithful christian throughout 
the world : and communicating now with the saints 
in all offices of love, I shall be advanced, with them, 
to the possession of their heavenly inheritance in 
eternal life. 

The Forgiveness of Sins* 
This is the article that strikes at the wery root of 
bitterness, and removes the ground of all my fears 
and griefs. O how numerous are my sins ! and what 
a heavy load upon my soul ! But it enlightens my 
heart to hear of God manifested in the flesh : to un- 
dergo all the penalties of sin, in the very nature that 
sinned; to bear our sins in his own body on the 
tree. And when our all-sufficient Surety has fin- 
ished the atonement, will the justice of God require 
a second payment ? No ; God is not only merciful, 
but just also, in justifying the believers in Jesus ; who 
was made sin for us, who knew no sin, that we might 
be made the righteousness of God in him. And 
now all the frightful guilt is swallowed up in that 
Fountain opened for sin and uncleanness ; like as a 
drop of ink is lost in a mighty river, so that my spirit 
rejoices in God my Saviour ; and I thank God, 
through Jesus Christ our Lord, whose blood cleanses 
us from all our sin. O that I could love him yet 
more, who forgiveth me so much. 

The Resurrection of the Body. 
This is the Christian's strong hold, that although 
we fall into the grave, we shall not be utterly cast 
down ; but have a Lord that will be the plague of 
death, mid the destruction of the grave ; to redeem 
us out of the hands of both. My flesh is perishing 
as the grass that is green and withereth in a day.— 



524 A Soliloquy upon the Creed. 

But this mortal shall put on immortality : yea, mor- 
tality itself shall be swallowed up of life. This hea- 
vy log though sown a natural, shall rise a spiritual 
body, to glide through etherial regions, as the fish in 
crystal streams ; and swifter than eagle or arrow, to 
follow the Lamb whithersoever he goes. Even the 
vile, coarse flesh, in the great morning of the resur- 
rection, shall come forth, as a gloriously bridegroom 
out of his chamber ; and like the trees new apparelled 
in the spring ; more orient and beautiful of itself than 
all make it ; shining as the firmament ; yea, outvying 
the stars and the sun. Is my body then often here 
put to hardships ? Be it so ; I do not look for my 
heaven in it now, as it is here ; but I expect it to 
rise impassible, past all suffering : And, in the mean 
time, I must not think it strange to be tossed on 
shipboard, till I arrive at the fair haven, where I 
would be. Am I tempted to excesses, or any lusts 
of the flesh, I will not surfeit on the meat that per- 
ishes, nor sink the vessel that is carrying me over to 
the blessed land of promise. Rather let me go with- 
out my full repast in the evening of this mortal life ; 
so that I break my fast on thy heavenly pleasures of 
eternity, in the dawning of the Last Day. I do not 
hate thee, my own flesh, to bid thee stay and keep 
thy appetite for entertainments infinitely better ; see- 
ing I believe the resurrection of the body, 

And the Life everlasting. Amen. 

This is the centre of our desire, and the crown of our 
joys; the drift of our whole religion ; and the height 
of all perfection : That which eases all our labors, 
and makes our very troubles look cheerful upon us. 
Wretched relief is the heathens' antidote against the 
dread of death ; only to think, that die we must. — 
But Christians have a consolation strong indeed, 



. A Soliloquy upon the Creed. 325 

that, after death, we shall live for ever. Our pres- 
ent lives are, for the most -part,, spent in providing 
us livelihoods ; and, instead of carrying happiness 
now in our vessels, all that we can do is but to 
make shift a little to stop our misery. Though God 
lias graciously made it pleasant, even to repair the 
decays of our nature : yet he would not have us mis- 
take that poor pleasure for our heaven ; and the soul 
that knows itself is rather weary of this attendance on 
the corruptible flesh, and aspires after that state where 
the body shall obsequiously follow, without the drud- 
gery of patching up its breaches and decays.— 
Where shall be nothing vexatious or troublesome; 
nothing to hinder or abate the perfection of bliss ! 
nothing to mar or embitter the fulness of joy, but, 
all the black curtains drawn aside, we shall have the 
beatific sight of our Lord, which will create in us 
raptures greater than our hearts can hold, till heaven 
shall hold our souls, and we enter into that joy of our 
Lord, which is too large to enter into us ; where we 
shall meet with all the best company in the world ; 
and enjoy that sweetest of all society, without any re- 
serves, in the most glorious place : And their and 
our souls, being then perfectly healed of every thing 
offensive, we shall have all the refreshments, without 
any uneasiness of conversation. Every faculty of 
the soul shall then imbibe that fulness of satisfaction 
which so long it had sought, but never found before. 
And neither shall the body want an agreeable enter, 
tainment for its feast and solace. But it is not for a 
tongue of flesh to utter, what eyes and ears of flesh 
never saw nor heard. It is enough to know, that it 
is above our knowledge ; being the life that is sweet- 
ened with a goodness no less than the divine, and 
measured with a duration no shorter than eternal. 
All this I believe ; and I believe it is more than 
C e 



326 A Soliloquy upon the Creed. 

all this which I believe, in believing the life everlast- 
ing. My life is hid with Christ in God ; and the life 
which I now live, I live by the faith of the Son of 
God, who loved me, and gave himself for me. And 
when Christ, who is our life shall appear, then shall I 
also appear with him in glory. O let me now begin 
the life of heaven, and hereafter I shall never know its 
end while I am here alive, may I so die to the flesh 
and the world, that when I depart from hence, I may 
live to God with Christ ; which is the life incompa- 
rably best of all. Amen. Amen. 



THE EJYD. 



[ 327 J 
TIIE 

CONTENTS. 

Page 
A PRAYER for Devotion, and a right frame of Spirit 

JV. in the Worship of God, - - - 17 

A Family Prayer, in the order of the Lord's Prayer, 19 

Morning Prayer for a Family, - - 23 

Another Morning Prayer for a Family, -• 25 

A third Morning Prayer, - - - 27 

A fourth Morning Prayer, - - 30 

A fifth Morning Prayer, - - 32 

A sixth Morning Prayer, 34 

A seventh Morning Prayer, - - 37 

Evening Prayer for a Family, - - - 39 

Another Evening Prayer, - - - -- 42 

A third Evening Prayer, , - - - 45 

A fourth Evening Prayer, - 49 

A fifth Evening Prayer, - - 53 

A sixth Evening Prayer, 57 

A seventh Evening Prayer, - -■ 6i 

Morning Prayer for the Lord's Day, - - 64 

Another Morning Prayer for the Lord's Day, - 66 

Evening Prayer for the Lord's Day, - - 69 

Another Evening Prayer for the Lord's Day, * 73 

A Prayer for any intermediate time of the Lord's Day, 77 
A Confession of the Sins forbidden, with Prayer for 
Grace to perform the Duties enjoined in the Com- 
mandments : Preparatory to the Sacrament ; or at 

any time of Humiliation, - - - 79 

A Prayer before the Sacrament of the Lord's Supper, 85 
A Prayer for Grace to resign, and give up ourselves 

to God, - - - - - 88 

* Some devout Ejaculations and Elevations of the Soul 
before receiving at the Lord's Table, - 91 

Thanksgiving and Prayer after the Sacrament of the 

Lord's Supper, - - - - 94 

Some devout Ejaculations and Elevations of the Soul 

after receiving at the Lord's Table, - - 95 

Prayer and Humiliation for a public Fast-Day, 93 

* Confession and Prayer for the Evening of a public 

; Fast-Day, ...... 104 



328 CONTENT S. 

Page 

An Addition in Time of War, - - 109 

in Time of Infection, - - Ho 

_ in Time of Famine, - 112 

* Devout Application to the Lord in Time of great 
Thunder, or some terrible Tempest, - 113 

■■ — in Time of any sore and grievous 

Calamity, - - 115 

.i ■ under any great Difficulties and 

arduous Affairs, 1 16 

A Prayer for Temporal Blessings, - 117 

for Rain, - - - - 118 

for fair Weather, - - - 119 

Prayer and Praise for a public Thanksgiving Day, 120 

Thanksgiving for Temporal Blessings, - 123 

■ ■ for Rain, - -- - 124 

— for fair Weather, - - ibid. 

— for Cessation of Infection, - ibid. 

■ for the Restoration of Plenty, 125 

— . for Victory over our Enemies, 126 

for Peace, - - - 127 

* Thanksgiving after a safe and good Journey, 128 
Thanksgiving for Preservation and Deliverance from 

Dangers and Troubles, - - - 129 
Thanksgiving and Prayer after a Recovery out of a 

dangerous Sickness, - - - 132 
A Prayer for Blessing, Direction, Help and good Suc- 
cess, in any great Enterprize, - 134 
A Prayer when going abroad, - - 135 

— — for Illumination and Knowledge, ibid. 

— for Repentance, - 139 

. for Faith and Trust in God, - 141 

A Prayer for Power to live by Faith upon 4 Christ and 

the Divine Promises, - - . 142 

A Prayer for the Divine Assistance, - - 147 

— — — for Sincerity, - - - 148 

■■ — — for Humility, - - - 150 

— . for Mindfulness of God's Presence, 151 

for Tenderness of Heart, - - 153 

for the Fear of God, - - 154, 

■ ' for the Love of God, - I55 
for Hope, - - . 1 58 

for Charity, • - . 160 

— for Unity, - - 16 1 



CONTENTS* 329 

Page 

A Prayer for Meekness and Peaceableness, 162 

— ■ under Abuses and Provocations, - 164 

— under Infamy and Disgrace, - 166 

for our Enemies, - - - 168 

__ under Crosses and Disappointments in our 

Affairs, - - - 169 

— — under Losses and Damage in our Goods and 

Estates, - - - - 170 

■ — under Confinement and Loss of Liberty, 171 
under sad Accidents and Disasters falling on 

the Body, - - - - 173 

for a blind Man, ' - - 174 

under grievous Pains, - - 177 r 

— under dangerous Sickness* - 178 

_ — under lingering Sickness, - 180 

, for one that is stupified or light-headed, 182 

r— for a sick Child, - - 184 

* for a dying Man past Hope of Recovery, 185 

upon the News of other's Death, - 18T 

— upon the Death of cur dear Friends, 1 88 

■ for Patience,- - - - 189 

, . > for Preparation and Readiness to die, 191 

. in public Commotions and Distractions, 193 

' in Time of threatening Dangers, - 194 

« — -— — upon the Remembrance of former Sins, 196 
• — under Fears and Doubts of our spiritual Con- 
dition, - ~ - - 197, 
\- -— under the Dread of God's Wrath, and ever- 
lasting Damnation, - - 199 

« — under strong Temptation?, - 200 

for Chastity, - -■ - 202 

for the Mortification of all fleshly Lusts, 204 

— — — — before the Hearing of God's Word, - 205 

after Hearing of the Word, - 207 

— — - — for increase of Grace, • - 208 
— for quickening Grace, - - 210 

■ — for Ability to acquit ourselves as we ought 

in our several Places and Relations, 21 1 

'■ for Grace to serve the Lord with Gladness, 212 
1 for Skill to carry ourselves aright among all 

with'whom we are concerned in the World, 213 

— for Grace to use our Speech aright, 215 

The convinced Sinner's Prayer, - - 217 

C2 



330 CONTENTS. 

Page 

A Prayer for the troubled Soul, - 22 t 

. — c for the enjoyment of God's gracious Pre- 
sence and divine Communion, - 22 3 

— for heavenly Comforts, - - 226 

Prayer and Praise for a converted Sinner, - 228 

A Prayer after a Relapse into Sin, - - 230 

Another humbling Office under any foul Fall, 233 

Thanksgiving for Recovery after a Fail into Sin, - 236 

• for Spiritual Victory, - * :■- 237 

A Prayer for greater Concernment and Diligence for 

the Soul, and the things of another World, 239 

— for Faithfulness and Constancy in the Profes- 
sion of our Religion, - - 241 

— . for Zeal and Activity in the Practice of our 

Religion, - - - 242 

against Wordliness, and for a heavenly Mind, 245 

— for Perseverance and Grace to endure to the 

End, - - - - 247 

— — in Prosperity, ... 248 

for the Enlargement and Prosperity of the 

Church, .-- 250 

. for the Reformed Churches abroad, 252 



— ?— — — for our Church, ... 354 

The Magistrate's Prayer, - - 256 

A Prayer for all our Bishops, Pastors, and Ministers, 258 

The Author's Prayer for himself as a Minister, 260 
* Prayer for a Blessing on the Societies confederate to 

promote Reformation of Manners, - 253 

A Prayer for our Benefactors, - - 265 

for our pious Friends, - - 266 

■ for our Friend, whose Soul we fear to be in 

a dangerous Condition, - - 267 

■ for the Unconverted, - - 269 

for all that desire our Prayers, - 273 

• for a Blessing on our intended Marriage, 274 



The Husband's Prayer, - - 275 

The Wife's Prayer, . . . - 277 

A Prayer for a Woman in Travail, - 278 

Thanksgiving after safe Delivery, - ibid. 

Prayer for our Children, - - 279 

for our Parents, - - -281 

The Widow's Prayer, - ibid. 

Jhe Orphan's Prayer, - - 283 



CONTENTS. 331 

Page 

The Aged's Prayer, - - 2 284. 

The Child's Prayer, - - 286 

A Prayer to be used by the Rich and Great, 287 

_ to be used by such as are Poor and Low m the 

World, - - - 289 

The Master of a Family, his Prayer, - 29 1 

The Servant's Prayer, - - - - 293 

The Soldier's Prayer, - - - 294 

A Prayer for the Melancholy and Dejected, 296 

* A Prayer for the Lunatic and Distracted, - 297 

A Prayer for insensible Sinners, - - 299 

The condemned Malefactor's Prayer, - 300 

Prayer and Praise upon the Occasion of our Blessed 

Saviour's coming into the World, 303 

A Prayer on the Occasion of his Death, - 306 

Prayer and Praise on the Occasion of his Resurrection, 308 
Prayer and Praise on the Occasion of his Ascension, 309 
A Prayer on the Occasion of the coming of the Holy 
Ghost, - 310 

— on the Commemoration of any Saint, 311 

A Soliloquy for the pious Soul's Solace, by way of Pa- 
raphrase on the Creed, - - - 313- 



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Essa) T s to do Good, addressed to all Christians, 

whether in public or private capacities. By the late Cotton 
Mather, D. D. F. R. S, To do good, and to communicate, 
forget not. Hebr. xiii, 16. A new edition, improved by George 
Burder. From the latest Boston Editions. 

Recommendations of ike Work. 

I have slightly examined the work of that father of the New- 
England churches, COTTON MATHER, entitled " Boni- 
facius" or "Essays to do good" and most freely do I assure 
you that it meets my cordial approbation, as a work calculated . 
to effect what the title imports. Many items in his M catalogue 
of desirable things" have received since his death, marked and 
serious attention from the christian world ; but as much remains 
to be done, perhaps the most probable means of accomplishing 
the whole, will be the re-publication of his " Bonifacius." I 
sincerely hope that in re- printing this work you may not only 
call the attention of others to well doing, but procure to your- 
selves temporal and spiritual benefits. 

JOHN M. BRADFORD, 
Pastor of the Reformed Dutch Church, Albany. 

Albany, March, 1815. y 

Dr. Cotton Mather's ?| Essays to do good," is a work, in my 
opinion of real merit. I admire equally the design and the ex>- 
ecution. The author was a man of learning and piety. His own 
practice was a living exemplification of what he proposes to oth« 
ers. These Essays comprise a vast amount of practical instruc- 
tion, written in a small compass. Messrs, Child & Clafip, of 
Johnstown, now offer to the public a new edition of this little vol- 
ume. I sincerely wish them success in the undertaking ; and 
earnestly recommend it to the blessing of God, and to the pat- 
ronage of all those persons who would wish to be imitators of 
that Divine Examfiler, " who went about doing good" 

WILLIAM NEILL, 
Pastor of the 1st Presbyterian Church in Albany. 

I heartily concur in the above recommendations. 

SAMUEL BLATCHFORD, 
Pastor of the United Presbyterian Church in Lansingburgh 
and IVaterford; M York. 

I heartily concur in the above recommendations. 

SIMON HOSACK, 

Pastor of the Presbyterian Church, Johnstown. 



Horse Solitariae : or Essays upon some remarka- 
ble Names and Titles of Jesus Christ, occurring in the Old and 
New Testament ; and declarative of his essential Divinity and 
gracious Offices in the Redemption of Men, To which is annex- 
ed, an essay, chiefly Historical, upon the Doctrine of the Trinity, 
In two vols. 
They that know thy Name will put their trust in thee. Psalm ix, 10. 
My People shall know my Name. Isaiah, lii, 6. 

An Ecclesiastical History, Ancient and Modern, 
from the birth of Christ, to the beginning of the present Centu- 
ry. In which the rise, progress, and variations of Church Pow- 
er, are considered in their connexion with the state of Learning 
and Philosophy, and the Political History of Europe daring that 
period. By the late learned John Lawrence Mosheim^ D. D. and 
Chancellor of the University of Gottingen. Translated from the 
original Latin, and accompanied with Notes and Chronological 
Tables. By Archibald Maclaine, D. D. In six vols. To which 
is added an Index. 

The Confession of Faith ; the Larger and Shorter 

Catechisms, with the Scripture Proofs at large ; the Covenants, 
national and solemn League ; the acknowledgment of sins, and 
engagement to duties, the Directions for Public and Family 
Worship ; and the form of Church Government ; with Acts of 
Assembly and Parliament relative to, and approbative of, the 
same ; of Public Authority in the Church of Scotland ; and also 
in the associate Church, and the Reformed Church in the United 
States of America. Together with the sum of Saving Knowledge 
(contained in the Holy Scriptures, and held forth in the said Con- 
fession and Catechisms,) and the Practical use thereof. 

And these words which I command thee this day shall be in thine 
heart. And thoushalt teach them diligently unto thy children ; and 
shalt talk of them when thou sittest in thine house, and when thou 
walkest by the way, and when thou liest down, and when thou risest up. 
Dent. vi. 6, 7. 

The Constitution of the Presbyterian Church,, in 

the United States of America. Containing the Confession of 
Faith, the Catechisms, and the Directory for the Worship of 
God : Together with the Plan of Government and Discipline, 
as amended and ratified by the General Assembly at their Ses- 
sions in May, 1805. 

The Constitution of the Reformed Dutch Church 

in the United States of America: with an Appendix., containing 
Rules ancl Orders of the General Synod, from 17"94, to 1815. 

The Holy War made by King Shaddai, upon Di- 
abulus for regaining of the Metropolis of the World; or the losing 
and taking again of the town of Mansoul. Written by John Bun- 
yan, Author of the "Pilgrim's Progress,'* &c. A new edition, divi- 
ded into eighteen chapters, with explanatory and practical notes, 
by the Rev. George Burder, Author of " The Village Ser- 
mons," Notes on " The Pilgrim^ Progress," &c. &c. 



The Poor Man r s Help and Young Man's Guide ; 

Containing Doctrinal Instructions for the Right Informing of their 
Judgments— Practical Directions for the General Course of 
their Lives — Particular Advice for the well managing of every 
Day. With reference to their Natural Actions, Civil Employ- 
ments, Necessary Recreations, Religious Duties. Unto which 
is added, Principles of Religion, useful to be known, believed, 
and practised, by such as desire to receive the Holy Communion 
with Benefit and Comfort. With Forms of Prayer for Families 
and single Persons. Also Divine Hymns, on several occasions. 
By William Burkitt, M. A. of Pembroke Hall in Cambridge, 
late Vicar of Dedham, in Esex. 

Ail Explicatory Catechism ; or an Explanation 

of the Assembly's Shorter Catechism. Wherein all the An- 
swers in the Assembly's Catechism are taken abroad in under- 
questions and answers ; the Truths explained, and proved by 
Reason and Scripture ; several cases of Conscience resolved ; 
some chief controversies in religion stated, with arguments against 
divers errors. Useful to be read in private families after ex- 
amination of the Catechism itself, for the more clear and tho- 
rough understanding of what is therein learned. By Thomas 
Vincent, sometime Minister of Maudlin, Milk-street, London. 

The Second Advent ; or coming of the Messiah 
in Glory, shewn to be a Scripture Doctrine, and taught by Di- 
vine Revelation, from the beginning of the World. By an Ame- 
rican Layman. 

*' Oh! scenes surpassing fable, and yet true 

'* Scenes of accomplished bliss .» 

,{ Praise in all her gates. Upon her walls 

" And in her streets, and in her spacious courts.. 

M Is heard Salvation. 

" One song employs all nations and all cry, 

" Worthy is the Lamb, for he was slain for us." — Cowper* 
An attempt to familiarize the Church Catechism, 

For the use of Schools and Families By Mrs. Trimmer. 

The Life of our blessed Saviour Jesus Christ : 

Wi'.h considerations and discourses upon the conception, nativity, 
circumcision, baptism, temptation, preaching, miracles, passion, 
resurection, and ascention into heaven. Including several un- 
answerable arguments, in defence of the Divinity of our Holy 
Redeemer, and the Truths of the Christian Religion, obvious to 
the meanest capacity. Likewise the lives, acts, and deaths, of 
the holy Evangelists' and Apostles as recorded by the primitive 
fathers, and ancient writers of unquestionable veracity. By Je- 
remiah Taylor, D. D. 

The Family Instructor ; in three Parts. Rela- 
ting to Parents and Children — Masters and Servants — Husbands 
and Wives. From the eighteenth English Edition. Preceded 
by an Address to Heads of Families. By P. Doddridge, D. D, 
With Forms of Prayers annexed. 



'Sacramental Meditations and Advices, grounded 

upon Scripture Texts ; proper for Communicants, to prepare 
their Hearts, excite their Affections, quicken their Graces, and 
enliven their Devotions, on fcacramental Occasions. And like- 
wise useful to promote gracious Dispositions and Resolutions in 
Christians, at all times, upon the remembrance of a Crucified 
Jesus. Together with a short Christian Directory ; and a vari- 
ety of Scripture Songs, for Zion's Travellers. Also, an Appen* 
dix, consisting of a Lecture concerning the Institution of the 
Lord's Supper : on 1 Cor. xi. 17, to the end, A Preparation 
Sermon: from Josh, iii.5 — An Action Sermon : from Cant. ii. 4. 
To this edition is added, the young Communicant's Catechism, 
with a proposal for public renewing of the Baptismal Covenant. 
By the Rev. John Willison, late Minister at Dundee. 

A Guide to Prayer — or a free and rational Ac- 
count of the Gift, Grace and Spirit of Prayer , with plain Di- 
rections how every Christian may attain them. By I. Watts, D. 
D. Lord teach us t o pray—' Luke ix. 1. 

The Easy Instructor, or a new method of Teach- 
ing SACRED HARMONY ; Containing, 1st, the Rudiments of 
Music on an improved Plan, wherein the Naming and Tim- 
ing of the Notes are familiarized to the weakest Capacity. 2d, 
a choice Collection of Psalm Tones and Anthems, from the most 
celebrated Authors, with a number composed in Europe and 
America, entirely new ; suited to all Metres sung in the differ- 
ent Churches in the United States. Published for the use of 
Singing Societies in general, but more particularly for those who 
have not the advantage of an Instructor. By William Little and 
William Smith, 

Adrv ertisement. 

As the Authors are well aware, that whatever has the ap- 
pearance of novelty is, from this very circumstance, in danger 
of meeting with an unfavorable reception ; they request noth- 
ing more than a critical observation of the certificate annexed, 
and an impartial examination of the method proposed, being 
willing to submit the merit of the performance to the determin- 
ation of the candid and judicious. As the introduction of the 
four singing syllables, by characters, shewing at sight the name 
of the notes, may perhaps be considered as subjecting those who 
are taught in this manner to difficulty in understanding other 
books, without this assistance — the authors would just observe, 
-that if pupils are made acquainted with the principle here laid 
down, the objection will be found, by experience, more specious 
•than solid. To this it might be added, that in the old way, there 
are not less than seven different ways of applying the four sing- 
ing syllables to the lines and spaces, which is attended with 
great difficulty: But this difficulty is entirely removed upon the 
present plan; and we know of no objection to this plan, unless 
that it is not in use ; which objection is no objection at all, or at 
least, cannot be decisive, as this would give currency to the en- 
tire rejection and exclusion cf all improvements whatever. And 



ss-the novelty of a singing book rendered so easy, from its im- 
provements, that any person of a tolerable voice might actually 
Jearnthe art of psalmody without an instructor, if they could but 
obtain the sounds of the eight notes, which has led its advocates 
to request a publication of the same. We have, therefore, the 
pleasure to inform the public, that since subscriptions have been 
in circulation for this book, we have been honored with upwards 
of three thousand subscribers: In consequence of which, we 
flatter ourselves that this book will meet with a kind reception. 

WILLIAM LITTLE, 
Philadelphia, Jugust 15th, 1798, WILLIAM SMITH. 

The Committee appointed by the Uranian Socie- 
ty of Philadelphia, to examine a Singing B.ok entitled ; * The 
Easy Instructor, by WiJHam Little — report : That having care- 
fully examined the same, they find it contains a well digested 
system of princ>p^ s an d rules,and a judicious collection of tunes: 
and from the improvement cf having only four significant charac- 
ters, indicating, at sight, the names of the notes, and a sliding 
rule for timing the same, this book is considered easier to be 
learned than any we hare seen. 

Were it possible to acquire the sound of the eight notes but 
by intimation, they verily believe they might be obtained by the 
help of this book, even without an instructor. The committee 
are of opinion, the author merits the patronage and encourage- 
ment of all friends to Church Music. 

EDWARD STAMMERS, 
RICHARD T. LEECH. 

At Webster s and Skinners Bookstcre, may also at all times 
be had, Folio, quarto, octavo, pocket and school Bibles ; Brown's 
Family Bible, folio ; Scott's Family Bible, 6 vols. Henry's Com- 
mentary, 6 vols. Hawe's Church History, Whole Duty of Man, 
Orton's Exposition of the Old Testament, Boston's Four Fold 
State, Edwards' History of Redemption, Edwards on the Affec- 
tions, Wltherspoon's Works, Melmoth's great Importance of a 
Rejigious Life considered, Drew on the Resurrection of the Bo- 
dy, Pike's Cases in Conscience, Gisborn's Duties of Men, Pil- 
grim's Progress, Saurm's, Jay's, Fordyce's, Clapham's, Blair's, 
Seabury's,Smalley's, Taylor's and White's Sermons, Campbell's 
Lectures on Ecclesiastical History, John Newton's Sermons, and 
Letters to a Wife, Cruden's Concordance, Fisher's Concordance, 
Real Treasure for a Pious Mind, Golden Treasury, Festivals 
and Fasts for the Episcopal Church, Common Prayer Books, a 
great variety, from 75 cents to §10, Dutch Church Psalms and 
Hymns,Watts' Psalms and Hymns, Dwight's Psalms and Hymns, 
Occum and Smith's Hymns, Pippon's Hymns, Newton's Olney 
Hymns, Watts' Divine Songs, Heidelbergh, Alberthoma and 
Hellenbrook Catechisms, Shorter Catechism, with Scripture 
Proofs at large, Episcopal Church Catechism, Roman Catholic 
Catechism, &c. &c. 

3y- SCHOOL BOOKS, BLANK BOOKS, QUILLS, PAPER, 
Ink-Powder, Ink- Stands, &c. ckc, constantly for sale, as above. 



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